THE 

HISTORIC    EPISCOPATE 


AN   ESSAY  ON 

Ubc  jfour  articles  of  Cburcb  TUnitB 

PROPOSED  BY  THE  AMERICAN   HOUSE  OP  BISHOPS  AND 
THE  LAMBETH  CONFERENCE 


BY 

CHAKLES  WOODEUFF  SHIELDS,  DiD.,  L.LD. 


BV 

670 

.S55 


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(Jjreeenfe^  6^  (Sire,  ^arton 

to  f  ^e  £i6tari?  of 

Princeton  ^^eofogicaf  ^entinarj 


BV  670  .S55 

Shields,  Charles  W.  1825- 

1904. 
The  historic  episcopate 


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THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 


FEB  281912 

THE         ^^oemi  ^^ 


HISTORIC    EPISCOPATE 


AN    ESSAY   ON 

XLbc  ^om  Brticles  of  Cbiircb  XPlnit^ 

PROPOSED  BY  THE  AMERICAN    HOUSE  OP  BISHOPS  AND 
THE  LAMBETH   CONFERENCE 


BY 

CHARLES  WOODRUFF  SHIELDS,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

PROFESSOR  IN  PBINX'ETON  UNIVERSITY 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S    SONS 

1894 


Copyright,  1S94,  by 
CHAELES   SCRIBNER'S   SONS 


TROW  DIRECTORY 

INTING  AND  BOOKBINDING  COMPANY 

NEW    YORK 


NOTE 


The  follotnng  essay  has  heen  read  by  sjjecial  invitation  before 
various  assemblies  representing  the  different  Christian  denom- 
inations^ Roman  Catholic  and  Protestant^  in  the  cities  of 
New  YorJc^  Boston,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  and  Washing- 
ton. It  is  now  iwinted,  for  the  first  time,  in  ansicer  to  many 
requests  for  its  publication. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Church  Unity  Defined, 2 

Federation  of  Churches, 4 

Assimilation  of  Denominations, 7 

False  Ecclesiasticism, 10 

False  Denominationalism, 11 

Feasibility  of  Church  Unity, 13 

The  New  Promise  of  Church  Unity, 15 

The  Claim  of  the  Historic  Churches, 17 

The  Claim  of  the  Reformed  Churches,     ....  19 

The  Need  of  a  Practical  Consensus, 21 

The  Chicago-Lambeth  Proposals, 23 

Catholicity  of  the  Four  Articles, 25 

Catholicity  of  the  Historic  Episcopate,   ....  26 

Adaptability  of  the  Historic  Episcopate,     ...  31 

Unifying  Power  op  the  Historic  Episcopate,    .    .  33 

Unification  by  Confederation, 41 

Unification  by  Consolidation, 45 

Unification  by  Organic  Growth 49 

Organic  Reunion  of  Presbytery  and  Episcopacy,  50 


Till 


CONTENTS 


Ideal  Fulfilment  of  Church  Unity, 
Slow  Growth  of  Church  Unity,    .     . 
Logical  Tendencies  to  Church  Unity, 
Decline  of  the  Denominational  Spirit 
Revival  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Spirit, 
Popular  Tendencies  to  Church  Unity, 
The  Coming  Campaign  of  Education, 


PAGE 

55 
57 
59 
60 
61 
62 
64 


THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 


It  lias  been  said  that  the  greatest  wonder  of 
the  "World's  Fair  was  its  Parliament  of  Religions. 
It  put  on  exhibition  not  merely  the  principal 
Heathen  beliefs,  but  the  various  Christian  de- 
nominations, with  champions  rehearsing  their 
claims.  Whether  it  shall  pass  away  like  another 
Babel  or  open  a  new  Pentecost,  depends  upon 
the  use  now  made  of  its  lessons.  And  its  chief 
lesson  was  not  the  supremacy  of  Christianity, 
which  required  no  proof ;  but  the  absolute  need 
of  harmony  and  unity  in  order  to  establish  its 
supremacy  throughout  the  earth.  Let  that  lesson 
go  unheeded,  and  the  Christian  Religion  may 
only  have  exposed  its  weakness  in  the  face  of 
its  enemies.  Henceforth  the  conquest  of  hea- 
thenism, as  well  as  the  maintenance-  of  civiliza- 
tion, will  demand  more  than  ever  the  reunion  of 
Christendom. 

Let  us  approach  this  momentous  question,  as 
far  as  we  may,  with  strict  definitions  and  clear 
conceptions.  While  such  preliminaries  are  es- 
sential to  all  good  thinking  and  sound  opinion, 


2  THE   HISTOKIC  EPISCOPATE 

they  are  especially  needful  in  dealing-  with  so 
difficult  a  problem  as  Church  unity,  and  one  al- 
ready so  beclouded  with  vague  terms  and  spe- 
cious phrases.  Several  distinctions  are  to  be 
premised  and  maintained  throug-hout  the  inquiry. 

CHUECH  UNITY  DEFINED. 

First  of  all,  Church  unity  should  be  distin- 
guished from  Christian  unity  or  the  oneness  of 
believers  in  Christ,  There  is  a  sense  in  wdiicli 
all  Christians  are  one  already,  and  one  simply 
because  they  are  Christians.  They  are  one  in  the 
unity  of  the  spirit.  They  are  spiritually  united 
to  Christ  by  faith  and  love  as  branches  of  one 
vine  and  members  of  one  body.  They  thus  form 
one  holy  brotherhood,  one  mystical  fellowship, 
one  communion  of  saints,  the  world  over.  This  one 
invisible  Church,  as  it  is  often  called,  persists  in 
and  through  all  visible  churches  and  denomina- 
tions, survives  their  mutations  and  destructions, 
and  remains  intact  even  amid  their  conflicts  and 
schisms.  And  it  cannot  be  too  highly  exalted  in 
the  present  discussion.  That  we  are  all  one  in 
Christ  is  an  admitted  fact  from  which  we  proceed, 
and  the  common  ground  ux^on  which  we  stand. 
Without  it  we  could  not  even  consider  the  ques- 
tion before  us.  But  while  Christian  unity  is 
thus  to  be  held  as  the  condition  precedent  to 
Church  unity  it  is  not  Church  unity  itself.     By  a 


CHUECH   UNITY  DEFINED  3 

vague  figure  of  speech  it  is  sometimes  confound- 
ed with  Church  unity,  and  even  miscalled  organic 
unity  in  allusion  to  a  metaphorical  organism  ;  but 
in  a  strict  sense  it  can  only  be  applied  to  the 
spiritual  fellowship  of  saints  or  invisible  Church. 
Nevertheless  this  invisible  Church  ever  becomes 
more  or  less  visible  in  organic  form  and  strives  to 
manifest  its  oneness.  It  can  no  more  exist  with- 
out an  organism  or  an  organization  than  the  soul 
without  the  body.  Organization,  if  not  essential 
to  its  very  being,  is  at  least  indispensable  and  of 
divine  origin  and  warrant.  The  institutions  of 
Christianity,  its  ministry  and  sacraments,  are  re- 
vealed in  the  Scriptures,  no  less  than  its  doctrines. 
In  fact,  but  for  its  institutions  we  should  have 
had  neither  its  Scriptures  nor  yet  its  doctrines. 
As  a  bare  Gospel,  apart  from  the  Church,  it 
might  have  died  out  in  the  first  century,  with  no 
more  echo  in  history  than  the  teachings  of  So- 
crates or  the  morals  of  Seneca.  It  became,  how- 
ever, a  compact  organization  in  the  midst  of 
pagan  society,  with  its  sacraments  and  its  Script- 
ures; and  it  continued  thus  compact  and  undi- 
vided for  some  centuries  afterward.  In  that  one 
Catholic  Apostolic  Church  we  have  an  example 
and  model  of  Church  unity,  not  only  as  consist- 
ent with  Christian  unity  but  as  expressing  and 
maintaining  it.  Indeed,  it  is  only  in  and  through 
such  Church  unity  that  Christian  unity  can  find 


4  THE   HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

due  and  full  expression.  Without  sucli  unity  it 
must  remain  as  a  vague  ideal  or  crude  sentiment, 
if  it  be  not  made  a  mere  pretext  for  schism  and 
excuse  for  sectarianism.  The  most  factious  sec- 
taries are  sometimes  loudest  in  their  appeals  to 
the  Christian  unity  which  they  have  defied  and 
obscured,  yet  cannot  destroy.  Never  let  it  be 
forgotten  that  Christian  unity,  spiritual  oneness, 
already  exists  as  a  divine  fundamental  fact  in 
the  churches ;  and  the  real  i^roblem  is,  how  to 
express  this  Christian  unity  in  an  organic  Church 
unity  which  shall  exhibit  the  mystical  body  of 
Christ  as  no  longer  mutilated  and  distracted,  but 
with  its  various  members  in  normal  exercise  and 
conscious  harmony. 

FEDERATION   OF  CHURCHES. 

Church  unity  should  also  be  distinguished  from 
Church  union  or  the  federation  of  denominations.^ 
The  different  Christian  bodies  in  our  country 
have  often  become  externally  conjoined  without 
internal  modification  or  concession,  somewhat  as 
sovereign  states  form  leagues  and  compacts. 
Under  the  impulse  of  common  aims  and  the  press- 

'  It  should  be  premised  that,  throughout  this  essay,  the  word 
"  denomination  "  will  be  used  in  the  legal  sense  (see  Preface  of 
the  Prayer-book),  as  applicable  alike  to  all  Christian  bodies, 
Catholic  or  Protestant,  whatever  may  be  their  ecclesiastical 
claims  or  merits. 


FEDERATION   OF   CHURCHES  5 

ure  of  common  dangers  they  have  been  com- 
bined in  Bible  and  Tract  Societies,  in  Sunday- 
School  Unions,  in  Boards  of  Domestic  and  For- 
eign Missions,  and  in  various  associations  for  i3ro- 
moting  temperance,  purity,  charity,  peace,  and 
other  Christian  virtues.  Such  coalitions,  though 
purely  superficial  and  transient,  besides  further- 
ing the  good  ends  in  view,  have  served  to  demon- 
strate an  essential  agreement  amid  the  general 
diversity.  We  have  also  had  examples  of  a 
more  organic  union  of  denominations,  based  up- 
on affinity  in  doctrine,  polity,  and  worship,  such 
as  the  recent  federation  of  the  different  Angli- 
can bodies  in  Canada.  In  some  cases  divided 
Churches  have  been  reunited,  as  when  the  Old 
and  New  School  Presbyterian  Churches  again 
became  one  ecclesiastical  body.  The  Methodist 
Episcopal  and  Protestant  Methodist  Churches 
were  merged  together  in  the  same  manner.  At 
first  sight  this  would  seem  to  be  a  most  hopeful 
field  in  which  to  labor  for  Church  unity.  Why 
should  the  Protestant  E^Discopal  and  Reformed 
Episcopal  Churches  remain  apart  after  the  Chi- 
cago Declaration  ?  Why  do  not  the  Dutch  and 
German  Reformed  Churches  come  together,  when 
they  are  so  much  alike  that  it  is  hard  to  tell  one 
from  the  other?  What  should  hinder  the  great 
Methodist  Churches,  Northern  and  Southern,  or 
the  Presbyterian  Churches,  North  and  South,  from 


6  THE   HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

reuniting  as  one  Church  since  Ave  are  under  one 
g"overnment  ?  Might  not  the  different  Lutheran 
Synods  and  Councils  be  colligated?  Could  not 
the  large  family  of  Baptist  denominations  be 
at  least  confederated  ?  Is  there  anything  in  the 
claims  of  local  autonomy  to  forbid  a  more  organic 
union  of  Congregational  Churches?  Ought  not 
the  chief  denominations  thus  to  unite  in  kindred 
groups  ?  And  then,  on  the  basis  of  such  special 
unions,  Avhy  not  build  up  a  general  confederation 
in  some  grand  national  council  of  denominations, 
a  sort  of  Congress  of  the  United  Churches  of  the 
United  States,  having  its  Senate  of  Bishops  as 
the  conservative  element,  and  its  House  of  Pres- 
byters as  the  progressive  element,  with  its  ratio 
of  Congregational  representation  and  its  legisla- 
tion restricted  to  domestic  charities  and  foreign 
missions  ?  What  a  magnificent  siDectacle  would 
such  an  ecclesiastical  confederacy  present  to  the 
rest  of  Christendom  !  How  it  would  shine  like  a 
constellation  in  the  firmament  of  the  Universal 
Church  !  The  bare  mention  of  it  is  inspiring  and 
elevating.  But  the  bare  mention  also  shows  it  to 
be  crude  and  visionary.  At  the  first  touch  of 
analysis  the  nebulous  splendor  dissolves  into  the 
stars  of  Avhich  it  is  comx^osed.  Confederation  is 
not  unification.  It  is  but  a  mechanical  union  of 
social  bodies,  not  their  chemical  fusion  and  vital 
growth.     It  has  twice  proved  a  failure  in  our  po- 


ASSIMILATION  OF  DENOMINATIONS  7 

litical  history ;  first,  when  it  could  not  hold  the 
United  States  together,  and  afterward  when  it 
strove  to  tear  them  apart.  There  could  be  no 
l^erfect  union  of  Churches,  or  of  States,  without 
some  mutual  concession  of  sovereignty,  some  sub- 
mission to  common  authority,  some  agreement  in 
essential  opinions.  At  its  best  estate,  on  its  face, 
denominational  confederation  is  but  masked  de- 
nominationalism,  and  a  mere  temporary  expedi- 
ent, carrying  its  own  dissolution  with  it.  Often 
it  is  only  a  truce  in  mid  battle,  or  x>atching  of 
old  family  quarrels.  If  it  serve  as  a  first  step 
toward  Church  unity  it  cannot  be  the  last  one,  but 
must  advance  or  else  recoil  with  fresh  estrange- 
ment and  harsh  assertion  of  sectarian  prejudice 
worse  than  before.  First  or  last,  whatever  else  it 
may  be,  it  is  not  Church  unity. 

ASSIMILATION  OF  DENOMINATIONS. 

Church  unity  should  be  distinguished  still  fur- 
ther from  Church  uniformity  or  the  assimilation 
of  denominations.  This  is  the  other  extreme 
from  federation.  It  would  efface  denominational 
distinctions  and  reduce  all  Christian  bodies  to 
one  type  of  doctrine,  polity,  and  worship.  It  is  a 
process  which  seems  to  have  been  long  going  on 
in  our  country.  The  Churches  of  the  Old  World 
as  transferred  to  the  New,  and  compacted  togeth- 
er under  one  political  system,  have  been  growing 


8  THE   HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

like  each  other  through  social  intercourse  and  un- 
conscious imitation.  Protestants  have  been  re- 
viving the  Catholic  sisterhood  and  fraternity  un- 
der new  names  and  guises ;  while  Catholics  are 
resorting  to  the  Protestant  platform  and  news- 
13aper  in  their  conflicts  and  troubles.  Episcopa- 
lians have  restored  Presbyterian  elements  to  their 
polity  and  extempore  prayers  to  their  liturgy ; 
while  Presbyterians  are  recovering  Episcopal 
agencies  of  administration  and  liturgical  modes 
of  worship.  Both  Presbyterians  and  Episcopa- 
lians have  learned  something  from  the  Methodist 
revival ;  while  Methodists  have  learned  to  have 
choirs  and  divinity  schools  as  well  as  camp-meet- 
ings and  lay  preachers.  Lutherans,  Congrega- 
tionalists,  Baptists,  in  like  manner,  are  taking  on 
all  the  hues  of  the  Church  year  and  ritual.  At 
first  sight  there  might  seem  to  be  no  limit  to  such 
assimilation.  We  are  ready  to  fancy  the  denomi- 
nations blending  into  a  sort  of  composite  like- 
ness. But  on  closer  view  the  superficial  resem- 
blances vanish,  and  the  old  essential  differences 
assert  themselves.  Each  will  be  found  prizing 
more  the  distinction  which  it  keeps  than  the  dif- 
ferences which  it  has  effaced.  And  such  distinc- 
tions cannot  and  should  not  be  wholly  obliterated. 
Absolute  uniformity  is  not  possible  either  in  the 
world  of  nature  or  of  grace.  According  to  the 
chosen  metaphors  of  Scripture,  the  Church  is  one 


ASSIMILATION  OF  DENOMINATIONS  9 

vine,  but  with  different  branches ;  one  body,  but 
with  various  members  ;  one  building",  but  of  com- 
posite structure.  In  political  society  we  see  the 
greatest  variety  of  classes,  parties,  and  opinions ; 
aristocratic,  democratic,  republican,  socialist,  pop- 
ulist ;  no  one  of  them  absorbing  or  exterminat- 
ing the  rest.  As  little  in  religious  society  may 
we  hope  to  find  all  Christians  at  once  becoming 
Baptists,  or  Congregationalists,  or  Methodists,  or 
Presbyterians,  or  Episcox3alians,  or  Romanists. 
Much  less  could  they  be  made  alike  by  any  civil 
or  ecclesiastical  process.  The  experiment  of  en- 
forced uniformity  has  been  tried  for  several  hun- 
dred years  in  Episcopal  England  and  Presbyte- 
rian Scotland  with  only  a  brood  of  non-conforming 
sects  growing  up  around  both  establishments. 
The  same  lesson  is  taught  us  here  by  the  conflict 
of  usage  with  rubrics,  by  the  disuse  of  directo- 
ries, and  by  the  rise  of  heresy  under  the  strictest 
creeds  and  confessions.  All  experience  shows 
that  a  rigid  uniformity  in  doctrine  and  ritual 
could  only  breed  dissent  and  schism,  and  issue 
in  renewed  failure.  Were  it  attained,  instead  of 
promoting  Church  unity,  it  would  destroy  it. 

The  definition  of  a  true  Church  unity  is  now 
before  us.  It  would  not  ignore  our  common 
Christianity,  but  would  more  fully  express  and 
maintain  it.  It  would  not  undervalue  denomi- 
national confederation,  but  would  look  beyond  it 


10  THE  HISTOEIC  EPISCOPATE 

to  a  more  perfect  union  of  denominations.  It 
would  not  obliterate  denominational  peculiarities, 
or  sacrifice  tliem  to  a  cast-iron  uniformity,  but  it 
would  legitimate,  subordinate,  and  readjust  them 
in  one  large  ecclesiastical  system  as  different 
members  knit  together  in  the  one  living  body  of 
Christ.  In  a  word,  it  w^ould  maintain  unity  in 
variety  as  well  as  variety  in  unity. 

FALSE  ECCLESIASTICISM. 

At  this  point  we  shall  be  met  by  several  objec- 
tions which  must  be  cleared  out  of  the  way  before 
we  can  proceed.  It  will  be  said  that  Church  unity 
tends  to  ecclesiasticism.  History  will  be  invoked 
to  warn  us  against  any  renewed  com^jact  of  de- 
nominations as  iuA^olving  the  latent  evils  of 
churchly  power  and  state  religion.  But  history 
does  not  rei^eat  itself,  where  the  conditions  are 
changed;  nor  do  revolutions  ever  go  backward. 
The  dread  of  priestcraft  which  once  had  fitness 
in  European  countries  has  no  place  in  modern 
civilization,  though  it  may  linger  as  an  inherited 
prejudice  in  some  of  our  x^opular  discussions  and 
partisan  appeals.  AVith  the  pope  himself  little 
more  than  a  state  prisoner  at  Rome,  any  suprem- 
acy of  the  papacy  in  international  politics  has 
become  a  dead  issue.  With  the  Anglican  and 
Scottish  establishments  already  doomed  and  wan- 
ing, any  domination  of  prelacy  or  presbytery  in 


FALSE  DENOMINATIONALISM  11 

our  political  affairs  is  but  the  ghost  of  a  dead  is- 
sue. And  to  imagine  the  wrangling  sects  of  this 
country  combining  to  seize  the  United  States 
Government  and  convert  it  into  a  theocracy  is  to 
imagine  a  species  of  ecclesiasticism  which  cannot 
be  stated  without  showing  its  intrinsic  absurdity. 
Let  us  not  be  frightened  by  the  mere  word  "  eccle- 
siasticism." The  real  dangers  which  threaten  us 
are  not  in  the  ecclesiastical  sphere,  but  in  the  po- 
litical or  social  sphere  ;  not  in  the  hierarchy  of 
the  dead  past,  but  in  the  anarchy  of  the  living 
present.  And  against  such  dangers  Church  unity 
simply  means  the  mustering  together  of  our  com- 
mon Christianity  in  defence  of  our  common  civil- 
ization. 

FALSE  DENOMINATIONALISM. 

There  is  a  kindred  objection,  that  Church  unity 
would  destroy  the  witness-bearing  character  of 
the  denominations.  At  their  origin  each  of  them 
had  some  high  mission  to  fulfil,  some  great  x)rob- 
lem  to  solve,  some  special  doctrine  or  principle 
to  uphold.  The  Lutheran  and  the  Huguenot 
protested  against  the  x^apacy.  The  Covenant- 
er made  a  solemn  league  against  prelacy.  The 
Puritan  fled  away  from  a  false  ecclesiasticism 
into  the  wilderness.  The  Methodist  broke  the 
bonds  of  formalism  with  a  pentecostal  revival. 
These  are  not  small  achievements,  to  be  lightly 


12  THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

esteemed  or  raslily  put  in  peril.  Granting  them, 
however,  it  remains  to  ask,  whether  by  this  time 
such  denominational  missions  have  not  been 
sufficiently  accomplished,  and  whether  in  this 
country  they  are  any  longer  in  place.  Why  con- 
tinue mere  Protestants  in  a  land  where  Roman 
Catholicism  is  coming  under  American  influences 
if  not  already  in  the  ordeal  of  reformation  ;  mere 
Covenanters,  where  Episcopacy  has  long  since 
conceded  nearly  everything  for  which  the  Presby- 
terian party  in  the  Church  of  England  contended  ; 
mere  Puritans,  where  the  lost  ideal  of  the  Church 
is  coming  back  into  the  Puritan  consciousness  ;  or 
mere  revivalists,  where  even  orthodoxy  and  rit- 
ualism are  leavened  with  Methodist  usages  and 
influences.  Would  it  not  be  better  to  bring  to- 
gether such  denominational  types  as  complemen- 
tary traits  of  Christian  character  and  harmonize 
such  denominational  claims  as  rival  schools  or 
tendencies  in  one  Church  system  ?  As  exiDressed 
in  diverse  organizations  called  churches,  they  be- 
come frightfully  exaggerated  ;  they  tend  to  ob- 
scure or  mutilate  more  essential  truths  ;  and  they 
lead  to  immense  waste,  loss,  and  conflict  in  all 
missionary  and  humanitarian  efforts.  Whereas 
the  same  different  beliefs  and  usages  as  tolerated 
in  one  organization  or  in  one  church  would  retire 
from  public  view ;  would  sink  into  due  relative 
insignificance ;    would    modify    and   check    one 


FEASIBILITY   OF   CHUKCH   UNITY  13 

another ;  and  would  render  both  missions  and 
charities  more  compact  and  efficient.  Tiiere  is,  in 
fact,  no  good  thing,  for  which  the  denomination- 
alist  loleads,  which  in  such  a  system  might  not  be 
retained,  while  much  sin  and  evil  that  he  laments 
would  be  avoided.  Church  unity,  it  has  been 
aptly  said,  is  "  not  anti-denominational  but  super- 
denominational." 

FEASIBILITY  OF  CHURCH  UNITY. 

The  most  practical  objection  is,  that  Church 
unity,  however  desirable  in  itself,  is  not  feasible. 
Often  it  is  accepted  as  a  "x)ium  desiderium," 
a  consummation  devoutly  to  be  wished,  but  not 
to  be  actually  sought  after  ;  and  sometimes  its 
advocates  are  only  pitied  as  amiable  visionaries. 
Against  such  scepticism  stands  not  merely  the 
scriptural  ideal  of  one  Church  but  all  analogy  and 
much  experience.  Take  the  analogy  of  living 
nature.  As  we  ascend  the  organic  scale,  from  the 
mollusk  up  to  the  mammal,  rank  above  rank, 
species  after  species,  we  find  increasing  unity 
amid  increasing  variety,  the  more  complex  the 
more  compact  the  structure,  until  at  the  summit 
in  man,  as  naturalists  tell  us,  all  inferior  organ- 
isms are  recapitulated  as  many  members  in  one 
body,  and  set  forth  as  the  very  masterpiece  of 
creation.  And  what  God  has  wrought  in  the 
kingdom  of  nature,  shall  He  not  yet  work  out  in 


14  THE   HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

tlie  kingxlom  of  grace  ?  Take  the  nearer  analog^y 
of  political  society.  In  our  own  country,  during- 
less  than  two  centuries,  we  have  seen  the  most 
varied  nationalities,  Eng-lish,  French,  Dutch, 
Spanish ;  in  the  most  varied  climates,  Northern, 
Southern,  Eastern,  "Western  ;  with  the  most  varied 
creeds.  Catholic,  Huguenot,  Puritan,  Cavalier, 
Covenanter  ;  under  the  most  varied  governments, 
theocratic,  monarchic,  aristocratic,  democratic,  all 
together  emerging  at  length  as  the  United  States 
with  the  realized  motto,  "E  pluribus  Unum." 
And  what  worldly  men  have  done  in  their  political 
relations,  cannot  Christian  men  do  in  their  religi- 
ous relations  ?  Go  back  to  the  experience  of  early 
Christian  society.  In  that  first  organization  of 
the  Church  we  see  congregational,  presbyterial, 
episcopal  institutions,  but  no  separate  Eijisco- 
palian,  Presbyterian,  and  Congregationalist  de- 
nominations with  the  apostles  in  one,  the  presby- 
ters in  another,  and  a  few  synagogues  in  the  third. 
We  find  various  schools  of  doctrine  as  distinct  as 
those  of  Luther,  Calvin,  and  Arminius,  but  no 
Pauline,  Petrine,  and  Johannean  churches  so- 
called,  unchurching  one  another  for  a  dogma  or 
a  rite.  On  the  contrary,  we  behold  all  our  unhap- 
l^y  divisions  dwelling  together  in  one  undivided 
Apostolic  Church.  And  what  the  Church  has 
been  once,  may  it  not  become  again  ?  Look 
abroad  in  Christian  society  now.      Every  denom- 


THE  NEW  PROMISE  OF  CHURCH  UNITY     15 

illation  is  asserting  unity  against  diversity.  The 
Baptists  and  the  Congregationalists,  in  spite  of 
their  localism,  would  become  national  and  com- 
prehensive. The  Lutherans,  the  Presbyterians, 
the  Methodists  would  be  called  churches  "  of  the 
United  States."  The  Reformed  would  be  no 
longer  Dutch  or  German.  The  Protestant  Epis- 
copalians would  dro^D  their  very  name  from  the 
title  of  the  Church.  The  Catholics  would  show 
themselves  American  as  well  as  Roman.  All,  in 
one  form  or  another,  have  before  them  the  ideal 
of  one  American  Catholic  Church. 

THE  NEW  PEOMISE  OF  CHURCH  UNITY. 

I  do  not  forget  the  past  experiments  in  Church 
unity.  Has  not  the  Western  church  for  twelve 
centuries  been  vainly  trying  to  make  peace  with 
the  Eastern  church  ?  Did  not  the  Eastern  church 
refuse  to  make  peace  with  the  Beformed  churches  ? 
Could  the  Reformed  churches  even  make  i^eace 
among  themselves  ?  Were  popes,  prelates,  and 
I)resb3'teries  successful  in  securing  uniformity 
or  conformity  among  the  churches  of  England, 
Scotland,  and  Ireland  ?  Have  the  numerous 
eirenicons  since  devised  by  large-liearted  ecclesi- 
astics like  Usher,  Stillingfleet,  Pusey,  Muhlen- 
berg proved  any  more  successful  ?  Why  follow 
in  the  train  of  these  dismal  failures  ?  For  a  two- 
fold reason :  first,  because  it  is  only  through  re- 


16  THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

peated  failures  that  we  can  pass  to  ultimate  suc- 
cess ;  and  also,  because  former  causes  of  failure 
are  dying  out  in  our  age  and  country.  Geo- 
graphical barriers  to  unity  have  disappeared. 
The  Eastern  and  Western  churches,  the  German, 
French,  English,  and  Scottish  churches,  are  here 
compacted  together  within  one  territory  and  fus- 
ing into  one  nationality.  Political  barriers  have 
disappeared.  The  temporal  power  of  the  Pope, 
the  civil  establishment  of  prelacy  and  presbytery, 
have  given  place  to  free  churches  in  a  free  land,, 
conspiring  under  one  government  with  one  pat- 
riotic aim.  Dogmatic  barriers  are  disappearing. 
Lutheranism,  Calvinism,  Arminianism,  by  their 
own  attritions,  concessions,  and  revisions  are  ap- 
proaching one  common  faith  and  ritual.  At  the 
same  time,  powerful  causes  of  unity  are  working. 
Democratic  influences  are  undermining  the  walls 
of  mere  Romanism.  A  papal  theocracy  has  hum- 
bled monarchies,  and  subdued  aristocracies,  but 
never  has  it  conquered  a  democracy  ;  and  out  of 
such  a  conflict  it  could  only  emerge  itself  con- 
quered. Social  influences  are  consolidating  Prot- 
estantism. The  Huguenot,  the  Puritan,  the  Cav- 
alier, the  Covenanter  have  been  intermarrying 
for  several  generations,  until  now  he  who  fights 
unity  will  have  war  in  his  own  members  and  in 
his  own  household.  Religious  influences  are 
working.     The  spirit  of  unity  itself  is  seizing  the 


CLAIM  OF  THE  HISTORIC  CHURCHES      17 

Christian  masses  like  a  ]3assion,  and  carrying- 
their  wrangling  leaders  along  with  them  as  with 
the  might  of  a  revolution.  Never  before  in  any 
Christian  century,  nowhere  else  in  any  Christian 
country,  have  all  the  conditions  been  so  favorable 
for  realizing  the  long-lost  ideal  of  one  Holy  Cath- 
olic and  AiDostolic  Church. 

In  order  to  keep  this  discussion  within  the  re- 
gion of  facts,  two  principles  are  important,  the 
one  as  to  the  scope,  and  the  other  as  to  the  basis 
of  unity.  The  first  is  that  a  true  church  unity 
must  include  all  existing  churches  within  its 
scope.  Its  horizon  must  be  as  wide  as  Christen- 
dom, and  its  point  of  view  must  be  taken  in  the 
midst  of  the  churches  and  not  Avithin  the  narrow 
l^ale  of  any  one  of  them.  Otherwise  we  shall  lose 
sight  of  large  portions  of  the  Christian  world, 
or  only  seek  to  unify  some  portions  against  the 
others. 

THE  CLAIM   OF  THE   HISTORIC   CHURCHES. 

First  of  all,  we  must  take  into  our  view  the 
g-reat  historic  churches  which  have  come  down  to 
us  from  the  Apostles'  time.  It  is  hard  to  believe 
that  the  devil  has  governed  the  Christian  Church 
for  twenty  centuries.  We  shall  fly  in  the  face  of 
universal  Providence  if  we  try  to  date  the  Chris- 
tian era  from  the  Diet  of  Worms,  or  to  close  it  at 
2 


18  THE  HISTOEIC  EPISCOPATE 

the  Council  of  Nice.  The  divine  work  of  the 
Universal  Church  is  not  to  be  tossed  aside  as 
mere  ecclesiasticism,  that  a  few  Christians  at 
this  late  day  may  build  it  all  over  again.  The 
Eastern  Greek  Church  and  the  Western  Latin 
Church  have  existed  and  still  exist  by  the  grace 
of  God,  as  well  as  the  modern  Protestant  Church 
or  the  latest  Christian  meeting  that  is  called  a 
church.  Nor  can  we  belittle  their  connection  with 
the  question  as  sentimental,  academic,  chimeri- 
cal, or  in  any  sense  foreign  to  us.  I  do  not  refer 
merely  to  the  few  Greek  congregations  among  us, 
on  our  eastern  and  western  shores.  Politically 
we  are  in  the  same  boat  with  at  least  eight  mill- 
ion Roman  Catholic  fellow-citizens ;  and  sooner 
or  later  we  may  have  to  unite  with  them  against 
the  combined  terrors  of  mutiny  and  shipwreck  ;  in 
plainer  words,  against  sectarianism  and  infidel- 
ity. As  fast  as  that  great  spiritual  organization 
under  the  plastic  force  of  its  new  American  en- 
vironment sheds  its  Romanism  and  becomes 
simply  American,  national,  and  patriotic,  will 
it  prove  an  immense  gain  to  our  common  Chris- 
tianity as  well  as  a  safeguard  to  our  common 
country.  Already  it  is  practically  with  us  on  the 
great  moral  questions  of  the  day,  bringing  its  rank 
and  file  as  a  compact  fighting  mass  into  the  bat- 
tle with  social  vice  and  sin.  It  is  true,  the  Filioque 
in  the  Nicene  Creed  and  the  dogma  of  papal  in- 


CLAIM  OF  THE  REFORMED  CHURCHES  10 

fallibility  are  present  barriers  to  unity.  But  it 
is  also  true  that  reforming  influences  are  at  work, 
for  wliicli  due  allowance  must  be  made.  It  re- 
mains to  be  seen  whether  existing*  obstacles  may 
not  be  reduced  to  dead  letter  or  disappear  in  the 
unifying-  process.  Moreover,  it  is  a  duty  to  make 
the  terms  of  fraternity  broad  enough  to  embrace 
even  those  who  erect  barriers  against  it.  Theo- 
retically at  least,  if  not  as  yet  practically,  the 
Greek  and  Latin  communions  must  be  included 
with  the  Anglican  and  American  in  any  scheme 
of  true  church  unity. 

THE  CLAIM  OF  THE  REFOEMED  CHURCHES. 

At  the  same  time  we  must  not  wholly  exclude 
from  such  a  scheme  the  less  historic  churches 
which  date  from  the  Befoi^mation,  or  even  the  de- 
nominations which  have  followed  in  their  train, 
Protestantism,  for  all  its  faults,  cannot  be  reck- 
oned a  sheer  mistake  and  failure.  No  less  than 
Catholicism,  it  has  the  reason  of  its  existence  in 
divine  providence  and  its  warrant  in  a  divine  suc- 
cess. For  four  centuries  it  has  been  making  a 
history  of  its  own.  The  Congregationalist,  Bap- 
tist, and  Methodist  communions,  though  detached 
from  the  historic  church,  have  largely  restored 
the  primitive  Christianity.  The  Lutheran  and 
Reformed  churches  claim  to  have  renewed  the 
historic  church,  not  to  have  destroyed  it,  retain- 


20  THE   HISTOKIC  EPISCOPATE 

ing-  its  creeds  and  portions  of  its  ritual.  The 
Clnircli  of  Scotland,  as  by  law  established,  de- 
clared it  had  been  "  reformed  from  popery,  not 
by  prelates,  but  by  j^resbyters  as  the  only  suc- 
cessors left  by  Christ  and  his  apostles  in  the 
Church  ;  "  and  to-day  it  has  its  own  Catholic  re- 
vival of  ritual,  as  distinct  from  Oxford  as  from 
Eome,  and  by  no  means  what  is  vulgarly  termed 
among  us  "  aping  the  Episcopalians."  Now,  even 
the  straitest  Protestant  Ei^iscopal  churchman, 
who  looks  upon  such  bodies  around  him  as 
pseudo-ecclesiastical  or  quasi-ecclesiastical  sects 
having  no  right  to  the  name  of  churches,  must 
recognize  among  them  certain  ecclesiastical  in- 
stitutions, or  ecclesiastical  theories,  or  ecclesias- 
tical aspirations,  tending  toward  his  own  eccle- 
siastical system,  together  with  acknowledged 
Christian  methods  and  benefits  which  might  well 
be  legitimated  and  included  within  his  own  sys- 
tem. He  would  not  deny  their  value  merely  as 
training-schools.  Nor  can  he  any  longer,  in  this 
country  at  least,  claim  a  monopoly  of  the  culture 
and  taste  which  once  made  the  Anglican  church 
a  social  caste  in  little  sympathy  with  surrounding 
Christianity.  Among  liturgical  denominations 
the  prayer-book  itself  is  ceasing  to  act  as  a  social 
distinction.  Other  less  cultured  denominations 
may  still  hold  doctrines  of  the  church  and  sacra- 
ments which  are  hinderances  to  unity.     But  the 


NEED  OF  A  PRACTICAL  CONSENSUS   21 

most  independent  of  Independents  are  not  be- 
yond the  reach  of  churchly  influences  and  unify- 
ing- impulses.  Many  of  the  Bajjtists  favor  open 
communion ;  and  some  Unitarians  would  object 
less  to  the  Nicene  Creed  than  Greek  Churchmen. 
In  the  long  future,  the  extreme  left  wing  of  Prot- 
estantism as  well  as  the  extreme  right  wdng  of 
Catholicism  may  yet  react  toward  the  centre. 
Neither  should  be  cast  outside  the  pale  of  Chris- 
tian fraternity.  In  a  word,  if  w^e  would  deal  with 
all  the  facts,  we  must  somehow  prospectively, 
if  not  immediately,  include  both  the  historic 
churches  and  the  reformed  churches,  the  oldest 
denominations  and  the  latest  sects,  as  alike  with- 
in the  scope  of  a  true  church  unity. 

THE  NEED  OF  A  PEACTICAL  CONSENSUS. 

The  other  practical  principle  is,  that  the  true 
Church  unity  must  be  based  upon  the  actual  con- 
sensus of  all  existing  churches  in  doctrine,  ritual, 
and  polit}^  With  their  ideal  consensus  we  can  have 
but  little  to  do.  In  what  doctrines  or  articles  of 
faith  they  ought  to  be  consentient ;  wdiat  dogmas 
should  be  rejected,  or  retained,  or  modified  in  or- 
der to  make  them  rightly  consentient,  is  largely 
a  matter  of  i3ure  speculation.  Many  of  us  could 
not  agree  as  to  the  terms  of  such  an  ideal  agree- 
ment. If  some  of  us  should  frame  such  an  agree- 
ment, satisfactory  to  ourselves,  others  would  not 


22  THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

assent  to  it.  In  the  end  we  might  only  be  adding 
one  more  sect  to  the  medley,  and  so  make  con- 
fusion worse  confounded.  Church  unity  cannot 
thus  be  built  up  on  the  ruins  of  existing  churches.^ 
Nor  have  we  any  more  to  do  with  a  future  con- 
sensus of  the  churches,  to  be  reached  in  the  prog- 
ress of  learning  and  liberty.  In  what  doctrines 
they  will  be  consentient  ultimately  in  coming 
generations,  or  what  dogmas  will  have  been  lost 
or  gained  in  the  Church  of  the  millennium,  is  sheer 
beyond  our  ken.  Some  of  us  may  doubt  if  such  a 
perfect  agreement  will  ever  come ;  and  any  of  us 
who  hope  for  it  could  not  now  project  it  without 
the  gift  of  prophecy,  as  well  as  the  understanding 
of  all  mysteries.  Church  unity  cannot  be  built 
after  any  prophetic  model  let  down  from  heaven, 
ready  made  and  complete,  like  the  New  Jerusalem 
in  the  Apocalypse.' 

^  This  ma  J  be  the  peril  of  the  "Brotherhood  of  Christian 
Unity"  and  any  like  associations,  which  ignore  all  existing 
churches  for  the  sake  of  some  meagre  consensus  of  Christianity 
with  other  religions  or  some  common  Christian  faith  which  con- 
tains only  the  minimum  of  Christian  truth  and  is  too  vague  and 
ideal  to  be  made  an  organic  bond  of  true  Church  unity. 

'^  In  this  direction  seem  to  tend  those  advocates  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  or  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  or 
of  any  other  denominational  church,  who  hope  to  realize 
church  unity  exclusively  in  their  own  organization  at  some  re- 
mote millennium  by  destroying  or  supplanting  or  converting  all 
the  other  churches  and  denominations  of  the  country. 


THE  CHICAGO-LAMBETH  PEOPOSALS       23 

It  is  only  with  the  actual,  the  existing,  consensus 
of  the  churches  that  we  can  deal.  Not  the  things 
which  should  be  believed  among*  us  ;  nor  yet  the 
things  which  will  be  believed  among  us  ;  but  "  the 
things  which  are  most  surely  believed  among 
us,"  as  St.  Luke  expresses  it — this  is  the  practi- 
cal question.  To  this  practical  question  the  cath- 
olic thought  of  the  age  is  already  addressing  it- 
self ;  and  it  has  at  length  found  voice  and  audience. 

THE   CHICAGO-LAMBETH    PEOPOSALS. 

It  has  become  the  rare  honor  and  privilege  of 
one  of  the  smallest  denominations — small  in  num- 
bers but  large  in  an  intelligent  survey  of  the  situa- 
tion— to  lead  all  the  rest  in  this  great  movement, 
and  even  to  be  followed  by  the  mother:  Church  of 
England.  The  Bishops  of  the  Protestant  Episco- 
pal Church,  from  their  high  point  of  view,  have 
undertaken  to  "  set  forth  in  order  a  declaration  of 
the  things  which  are  most  surely  believed  among 
us."  In  other  words,  they  have  formulated  an 
actual  consensus  of  the  churches  as  the  basis  of 
their  unity ;  an  existing  creed,  ritual,  and  polity 
in  which  they  are  already  more  or  less  consen- 
tient, and  not  some  new  or  imaginarj^  creed, 
ritual,  and  polit}^  in  which  they  cannot  become 
consentient  without  utterly  abandoning  their  re- 
spective standards  or  destroying  their  identity  in 
some  ruthless  process  of  unification. 


24  THE  HISTOEIC  EPISCOPATE 

This  practical  quality  of  the  Episcopal  declara- 
tion is  one  of  its  chief  merits.  In  its  very  nature 
it  is  a  unifying-  manifesto.  It  exhibits  to  the 
world  the  great  things  in  which  Christian  bodies 
can  agree,  and  exalts  them  above  the  small  things 
in  which  they  differ.  Each  of  the  four  articles, 
the  Scriptures,  the  Creeds,  the  Sacraments,  the 
Episcopate,  will  be  found  to  serve  this  purpose 
as  successively  stated.^  The  Holy  Scriptvires  are 
already  accepted  as  the  rule  of  faith  by  all  Chris- 
tian denominations  between  the  extremes  of  Ro- 
manism and  Protestantism,  however  varied  may 
be  their  interpretation  of  those  Scriptures.  The 
Nicene  Creed  is  the  sufficient  statement  of  the 
Christian  faith,  though  it  be  supplemented  with 

1  The  four  articles,  as  proposed  at  Chicago,  and  amended  by 
the  Lambeth  Conference,  are  as  follows  : 

First.  The  H0I7  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament 
as  containing  all  things  necessary  to  salvation  and  as  being  the 
rule  and  ultimate  standard  of  faith. 

Second.  The  Apostles'  Creed  as  the  Baptismal  symbol  ;  and 
the  Nicene  Creed  as  the  sufficient  statement  of  the  Christian 
Faith. 

Third.  The  two  Sacraments  ordained  by  Christ  Himself — 
Baptism  and  the  Supper  of  the  Lord — ministered  with  unfailing 
use  of  Christ's  words  of  institution,  and  of  the  elements  or- 
dained by  Him. 

Fourth.  The  Historic  Episcopate,  locally  adapted  in  the 
methods  of  its  administration  to  the  varying  needs  of  the  na- 
tions and  peoples  called  of  God  into  the  unity  of  His  Church. 


CATHOLICITY  OF  THE  FOUR  ARTICLES     25 

denominational  symbols,  such  as  the  Augsburg 
Confession,  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  the  An- 
glican Articles  of  Religion,  the  Westminster  Con- 
fession of  Faith,  or  the  latest  American  i^roduct 
of  creed  making.  The  two  sacraments  of  Christ 
are  ministered  with  His  appointed  words  and  ele- 
ments in  all  communions,  the  simplest  as  well  as 
the  most  ritualistic,  not  less  by  the  Bajptist  who 
insists  upon  immersion  than  by  the  Romanist  who 
withholds  the  cup  from  the  laity.  The  Historic 
Episcopate  is  everywhere  adaptable  to  Congre- 
gationalists,  Presbyterians,  and  Episcopalians  of 
every  type,  as  well  to  those  without  as  to  those 
within  the  pale  of  that  Episcopate.  In  a  word,  if 
the  Christian  denominations  of  this  land  were  in 
search  of  a  canon,  creed,  ritual,  and  polity,  which 
should  express  their  consensus  as  against  their 
dissensus,  the  essentials  in  which  they  agree  as 
distinguished  from  the  non-essentials  in  which 
they  differ,  they  woukl  find  them  in  the  four  Prin- 
ciples of  the  Chicago-Lambeth  Declaration. 

CATHOLICITY  OF  THE  FOUR  ARTICLES. 

Another  great  merit  of  that  Declaration  is  its 
absolute  catholicity.  There  is  no  denomination- 
alism  whatever  in  its  terms.  Although  it  ema- 
nates from  one  of  the  denominations,  it  proposes 
nothing  peculiar  to  that  denomination ;  not  the 
Prayer-book,  not  the   Articles  of  Religion,  not 


26  THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

even  the  Ordinal  in  its  details.  On  the  contrary 
the  things  which  it  proposes  are  also  possessed 
or  shared  by  other  denominations.  The  Holy 
Scriptures  are  the  common  heritage  of  Christen- 
dom, Greek  and  Latin  as  well  as  Anglican, 
American  as  well  as  European.  The  ecumenical 
creeds  are  professed  by  the  Greek,  Eoman,  Lu- 
theran, Reformed,  and  Presbyterian  communions, 
as  well  as  by  the  Protestant  Episcopal  commun- 
ion. The  Sacraments  of  our  Lord  are  scrupu- 
lously observed  by  many  if  not  all  other  Chris- 
tian bodies  than  those  which  follow  the  use  of  the 
English  Liturgy.  The  historic  Episcopate  is  a 
universal  institution  common  to  Eastern  and 
Western  Christendom,  and  not  confined  to  the 
American  House  of  Bishops.  As  this  last  point 
may  not  be  as  obvious  as  the  other  three  points, 
and  yet  is  loivotal  to  the  whole  discussion,  it  is 
important  here  to  give  it  special  attention. 

CATHOLICITY   OF  THE   HISTORIC   EPISCOPATE. 

The  Historic  Episcopate  would  remain  in  this 
country  if  the  organization  known  as  "  The  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church "  did  not  exist.  It 
would  still  be  represented  to  us  by  the  Russian 
Greek  and  Roman  Catholic  Churches  ;  encum- 
bered, it  is  true,  with  various  dogmas,  but  with 
dogmas  no  better,  or  no  worse,  than  theories 
which  encumber  it  in  other  communions  and  act 


CATHOLICITY  OF  THE  EPISCOPATE         2< 

as  liinderances  to  unity.  Indeed,  it  is  quite  con- 
ceivable that  Roman  bishops  in  some  new  refor- 
mation, more  justly  conservative  than  ours,  may 
yet  offer  the  episcojDate.to  their  Protestant  breth- 
ren with  some  stronger  motives  than  any  that 
now  appear  in  the  tender  of  it  from  another  quar- 
ter. In  that  event  the  whole  ecclesiastical  sit- 
uation would  be  changed.  The  great  Lutheran 
communion  would  be  found  more  closely  allied  to 
the  Koman  than  to  the  Anglican  Episcopate. 
The  Reformed  bodies,  Dutch,  French,  and  Ger- 
man, might  more  naturally  return  to  the  historic 
primacy  of  Rome  than  to  the  local  i3rimacy  of 
Canterbury.  All  Protestants,  in  fact,  might  then 
unite  in  recognizing  a  de  facto  headship  of 
Western  Christendom.  And  thus  the  Mother  of 
Churches  could  grow  as  rapidly  by  conversion  as 
she  has  been  growing  by  emigration.  Stranger 
things  have  happened.  Be  all  this,  however,  as 
it  may,  treat  it  as  a  mere  quixotic  fancy,  the  fact 
remains,  that  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
has  no  exclusive  property  in  the  Episcopate,  but 
only  shares  it,  and  shares  it  very  largely,  with 
other  and  greater  historic  churches  in  America 
as  well  as  Europe. 

It  should  also  be  remembered  that  at  one  time 
in  the  history  of  that  church  it  was  nearly  on  a 
XDar  with  other  American  denominations  as  to  the 
episcopate  now  deemed  so  essential  to  its  very 


28  THE  HISTOBIC  EPISCOPATE 

being.  For  more  than  one  liundrecl  years,  during' 
the  whole  colonial  period,  the  so-called  "  Epis- 
copal churches "  scattered  along  the  Atlantic 
coast  were  practically  without  the  Episcopate 
and  even  without  episcopal  visitations.  Succes- 
sive generations  of  communicants  grew  up  un- 
confirmed, and  the  clergy  had  little  more  than 
the  distant  oversight  of  the  Bishop  of  London. 
It  is  well  known  that  the  popular  dread  of  an 
Episcopal  establishment  was  one  of  the  causes  of 
the  American  Revolution.  After  the  rupture  with 
the  mother  country  it  became  still  more  doubt- 
ful whether  the  E^Discopate  could  be  lorocured 
from  the  Church  of  England.  In  the  emergency 
there  was  even  some  thought  of  applying  for  the 
foreign  orders  of  Sweden.  But  the  patriarchal 
Bishop  White  declared  that  in  such  circumstances 
"  a  scrupulous  adherence  to  episcopacy  would  be 
sacrificing  the  substance  to  the  ceremony,"  ^  and 
lest  the  essentials  of  preaching  and  worship 
should  utterly  lapse  he  sketched  a  provisional 
polity  with  presbyterial  ordination,  and  other 
features  thoroughly  Presbyterian.  AVlien  at 
length  the  Episcopate  was  conferred  by  the  En- 
glish Bishops  it  simply  suiDervoned  upon  that 
provisional  i^resbyterian  organization  as  it  might 

'  The  Case  of  the  Episcopal  Churches  in  the  United  States 
Considered,  p.  19.  By  the  Rev.  Dr.  William  White,  after- 
ward Bishop  of  Pennsylvania. 


CATHOLICITY  OF  THE  EPISCOPATE        29 

now  supervene  upon  any  other  Presbyterian 
body ;  and  it  is  stiH,  in  thought  at  least,  as  separ- 
able from  the  one  as  it  is  in  fact  separate  from 
the  other. 

It  should  further  be  observed,  that  the  college 
of  Bishops  has  logically  (I  do  not  say  formally) 
separated  the  episcopate  from  the  communion 
over  which  they  preside,  by  proposing  it  to 
other  communions,  at  the  same  time  nobly  dis- 
claiming- any  wish  to  absorb  other  commun- 
ions, and  declaring  their  readiness  to  forego 
the  modes  of  worship  and  discipline  peculiar  to 
their  own  communion,  and  to  co-operate  Avitli 
other  communions  on  the  basis  of  a  common 
faith  and  order,  in  discountenancing  schism  and 
healing  the  wounds  of  the  body  of  Christ.^  In 
distinct  terms,  "  as  Bishops  in  the  Church  of 
God,"  they  have  invited  their  fellow-Christians 
to  meet  them  on  the  outside  common  ground  of 
membership  by  baptism  in  the  Holy  Catholic 
Church  and  there  find  further  agreement  in  the 
four  articles  of  unity.  Suppose,  for  argument's 
sake,  that  the  Presbyterian  Church  should  adopt 
these  articles,  and  at  length  select  presbyters  to 
be  consecrated  as  bishops.  Would  the  Episcopal 
college  then  bring  forward  the  new  requirement 
of  an  oath  of  "  conformity  and  obedience  to  the 

'  Declaration  of  the  House  of  Bisliops,  adopted  October  30, 
1886. 


so  THE   HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

doctrine,  discipline,  and  worship  of  the  Protes- 
tant Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States  ?  " 
AYould  they  amend  their  own  terms  by  adding* 
to  the  Holy  Scriptures  the  church  canons ;  to  the 
Nicene  Creed,  the  Articles  of  Religion ;  to  the 
Sacraments  of  our  Lord,  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer ;  and  to  the  Historic  Episcopate,  the  en- 
tire ordinal  of  Bishops,  Priests,  and  Deacons? 
Would  they  thus  endeavor,  in  the  face  of  their 
Declaration,  to  absorb  other  communions  or  im- 
pose upon  them  the  laws,  traditions,  and  usages 
of  their  own  communion  ?  In  that  case  suppose 
the  Moravian,  or  Swedish,^  oi"  Old  Catholic  Epis- 
copate to  have  been  elsewhere  obtained,  would 
they  not  gladly  recognize  and  welcome  it  ? 

In  order  to  make  this  point  still  clearer  let  us 
recur  to  the  "  case  of  the  Episcopal  churches  "  at 
the  close  of  the  Revolution.  Their  situation  as 
to  the  question  before  us  was  analogous  to  that 
of  presbyterial  churches  at  the  present  time. 
They  had  assumed  a  thoroughly  presbyterial  pol- 
ity, though  as  yet  without  Bishops.  It  is  true, 
they  had  also  the  Prayer-book ;  and  the  English 
bishops  would  not  confer  the  Episcopal  character 
until  assured  that  the  Prayer  -  Book  would  be  re- 

'  A  Lutheran  clergyman  lias  said  tliat  tlie  proposed  procure- 
ment of  the  Historic  Episcopate  from  the  Church  of  Sweden 
would  have  the  effect  of  modifying  the  exclusive  claims  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  among  sister  Protestant  Churches. 


ADAPTABILITY  OF  THE  EPISCOPATE       31 

tained  in  its  integrity.  But  that  is  not  now  made 
*  a  condition  of  the  conferment.  The  Prayer-Book 
is  not  even  named  in  the  terms  proposed  at 
Chicago  or  at  Lambeth.  There  is  nothing  on 
the  face  of  those  terms  to  forbid  the  Presby- 
terian church,  as  it  stands  to-day,  from  acquiring 
the  episcopate,  if  so  minded.  Nor  woukl  it 
thereby  go  over  in  a  body  to  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church.  On  the  contrary,  the  revered 
Bishop  of  Western  New  York,  if  correctly  re- 
IDorted,^  has  distinctly  said  :  "  AVe  have  proposed 
a  course  which,  if  carried  out  by  any  of  the 
greater  denominations  of  Christians,  would  com- 
pel us  to  join  them." 

ADAPTABILITY  OF  THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE. 

I  may  now  add,  that  some  learned  canonists,  if 
I  understand  them,  are  already  advocating  an 
extension  of  the  American  Episcopate  to  other 
denominations,  as  proposed  by  the  late  Dr.  Muh- 
lenberg, of  blessed  memory,  and  as  illustrated 
recently  by  the  extension  of  the  Boman  ej^isco- 
pate  over  Eussian  Greek  congregations  in  this 
country,  notwithstanding  their  married  priests, 
trine  immersion,  presbyterial  confirmation,  and 
other  tenets  not  held  by  Bomanists,  but  held  by 
Episcopalians,  Baptists,  and  Presbyterians.     The 

'  Sermon  of  Bishop  Coxe  at  Buffalo.  In  New  York  Tribune, 
March  22,  1891. 


32  THE   HISTOEIC  EPISCOPATE 

Lambeth  Conference  itself,  if  I  read  arig-lit,  lias 
generously  opened  tlie  way  for  a  similar  exten- 
sion of  the  Anglican  episcopate  to  other  Chris- 
tian communions  abroad  and  at  home,  "without 
insisting  upon  the  formularies  which  are  the 
special  heritage  of  the  Church  of  England,"  and 
even  with  "  large  freedom  of  variation  on  second- 
ary points  of  doctrine,  worship,  and  discipline."  ^ 
Both  the  Chicago  and  the  Lambeth  declarations 
also  seem  to  distinguish  the  historic  episcopate 
from  its  Greek,  Roman,  and  Anglican  varieties,  by 
IDroviding  that  it  is  to  be  *'  locally  adapted  in  the 
methods  of  its  administration  to  the  varying 
needs  of  the  nations  and  peoples  called  of  God 
into  the  unity  of  His  Church."  This  local  adap- 
tation has  been  begun  in  one  of  our  denomina- 
tions ;  but  it  will  not  be  complete  until  it  ex- 
tends to  all  of  them,  or  at  least  includes  the 
Christian  institutions,  doctrines,  and  usages  of 
the  whole  American  people,  and  so  becomes  still 
more  American  and  less  Anglican,  as  well  as  less 
Roman.  Then,  and  not  till  then,  will  there  be  a 
truly  American  variety  of  the  historic  ejDisco- 
pate. 

The  object  of  making  these  distinctions,  I  need 

scarcely  say,  is  not  to  raise  debatable  questions, 

some  of  which  are  too  difficult  and  delicate  for 

me  to  handle,  or  perhaps  even  to  suggest.     I  am 

'  Lambeth  Conferences  of  1888,  p.  337, 


UNIFYING  POWER  OF  THE  EPISCOPATE       33 

simply  aiming  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  the  his- 
toric episcopate,  like  the  other  three  articles,  is 
only  part  of  a  common  heritage,  and  more  or  less 
adaptable  to  all  denominations  with  their  re- 
spective standards  and  usages.  In  theory  at 
least,  it  is  as  adaptable  to  the  Presbyterian 
Church  with  its  Confession  of  Faith,  and  Direct- 
ory of  Worship,  as  to  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  with  its  Articles  and  Prayer-Book.  In 
point  of  fact,  however,  such  adai^tation  is  not 
imminent  and  may  not  soon  befall.  Presbyter- 
ians as  yet  value  the  liturgy  more  than  the  epis- 
copate, and  could  more  easily  accept  the  Articles 
and  the  Prayer-Book  than  the  Ordinal.  But 
should  the  day  ever  happily  come  when  the  high 
contracting  parties  would  be  ready  for  corporate 
reunion,  we  may  assume  that  they  would  have 
wisdom  and  grace  enough  to  adjust  all  canoni- 
cal questions  of  ordination  and  jurisdiction  in  a 
spirit  of  Christian  love  and  harmony. 

UNIFYING  POWER  OF  THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE. 

The  next  point  to  be  considered  is  the  fitness 
of  the  four  articles  to  serve  as  a  basis  of  church 
unity.  The  fitness  of  the  first  three  articles  for 
such  a  purpose  is  scarcely  in  question.  The 
chief  reformed  churches,  at  least,  can  estimate 
the  scriptures,  the  creeds,  and  the  sacraments  as 
capital  points  of  agreement  and  means  of  unifica- 


34  THE  HISTOKIC  EPISCOPATE 

tion.  But  tlie  unifying  i3ower  of  the  historic 
episcopate  is  not  yet  so  highly  appreciated.  Be 
it  observed,  the  intrinsic  value  of  that  Christian 
institution  is  not  now  before  us.  As  to  what 
special  grace  or  authority  or  advantage  it  con- 
veys, opinions  differ  among  those  who  view  it 
from  the  inside,  as  well  as  among  those  who  view 
it  from  the  outside  ;  and  good  churchmen  may  be 
found  on  both  sides  of  the  pale.  Waiving  the 
discussion  of  such  opinions,  not  as  unimportant 
by  any  means,  but  as  not  relevant  to  the  present 
question,  we  are  here  only  to  estimate  its  exter- 
nal value  as  a  unifying  bond  among  the  denom- 
inations. Never  before  has  it  been  so  presented. 
The  simple  fact  that  it  has  been  so  presented, 
marks  an  epoch,  it  may  be  a  silent  revolution,  in 
the  history  of  the  church.  Too  often  hitherto 
has  it  appeared  in  a  polemic  light  as  a  bone  of 
contention,  an  occasion  of  dissent  and  schism, 
and  even  a  barrier  to  Christian  intercourse  be- 
tween families,  nations,  and  races.  Now  at 
length,  as  never  before  in  three  centuries,  we  are 
invited  to  behold  in  it  an  organic  link  of  con- 
nection, a  basis  of  reunion,  and  a  magnetic  centre 
of  harmony.  I  can  give  but  the  heads  of  so 
pleasing  an  argument. 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  the  de  facto  government 
of  three-fourths,  if  not  of  four-fifths,  of  Christen- 
dom.    Keason  about  its  dejure  claims  as  we  may. 


UNIFYING  POWER  OF  THE  EPISCOPATE      35 

an  immense  majority  of  our  fellow-Christians 
throughout  the  world,  and  nearly  one-sixth  of  our 
fellow-citizens  in  this  country,  are  tenaciously  at- 
tached to  it,  and  not  at  all  likely  to  be  detached 
from  it ;  and  these  plain  facts  of  the  ecclesiastical 
situation  must  be  dealt  with  in  any  scheme  of  com- 
prehension which  aims  to  be  at  once  practical 
and  complete.  Otherwise,  everything  like  church 
unity  is  simply  out  of  the  question.  There  can 
be  no  reunion  of  Christendom  without  the  his- 
toric episcopate. 

In  the  second  place,  it  bases  church  unity  up- 
on church  polity,  not  upon  systematic  theology. 
Until  polity  has  been  shaken  loose  from  such 
theology  we  can  never  have  organic  unity.  Ex- 
act theological  agreement  as  a  basis  of  church 
unity  is  already  a  failure.  Denominations 
founded  ui^on  such  agreement  have  been  going 
to  pieces  all  around  us.  Such  agreement  never 
has  existed ;  not  even  in  the  Apostolic  church, 
which  allowed  doctrinal  differences  without  the 
unchristian  results  of  schism  and  sectarianism. 
Such  agreement  never  can  exist ;  so  long  as  hu- 
man nature  is  diverse  in  its  temperaments  and 
many  related  truths  are  paradoxical  in  our  logic. 
Such  agreement  never  ought  to  exist,  for  the 
sake  of  Christian  doctrine  itself.  Better  far  that 
two  schools  of  theology  should  fairly  contend  in 
the  same  church  than  rush  apart  into  two  hostile 


36  THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

sects.  Never  fear  for  our  common  orthodoxy, 
while  special  orthodoxies  take  care  of  themselves 
in  the  march  of  knowledge  and  under  the  laws  of 
thought.  Such  agreement  has  not  even  been  at- 
tempted by  the  strongest  churches.  No  Calvin- 
ism has  been  so  high  and  no  Arminianism  so  low 
as  the  Calvinism  and  Arminianism  nourished 
side  by  side  within  the  ample  church  of  England. 
The  brief  experiment  to  hold  together  that  church 
on  the  theological  basis  of  the  Westminster  Con- 
fession issued  in  disastrous  failure.  All  his- 
tory shows  that  church  unity  must  rest  upon  an 
institution,  not  upon  doctrines ;  and  upon  an 
institution  am]ple  enough  and  elastic  enough  to 
include  all  doctrines,  even  variant  doctrines  con- 
cerning itself.  Such  an  institution  is  that  epis- 
copate, which  not  only  embraces  the  national  va- 
rieties of  Catholicism,  but  shows  a  capacity  for 
embracing  the  doctrinal  diversities  of  Protestant- 
ism in  the  bonds  of  a  reunited  Christendom. 

In  the  third  place,  it  is  comprehensive  of  all 
forms  of  polity  as  well  as  schools  of  doctrine.  In 
its  structure  it  involves  in  due  organic  relation 
the  congregational,  the  presbyterial,  and  the  epis- 
copal elements  of  church  government.  The  two 
former  may  exist  apart  from  the  latter  ;  but  not 
the  latter  apart  from  the  two  former.  Episcopacy 
includes  the  other  elements  as  the  greater  in- 
cludes the  less,  and  is  upheld  by  them  as  the 


UNIFYING  POWER   OF  THE  EPISCOPATE       37 

higher  is  upheld  by  the  lower.  Hence  Congrega- 
tionalism as  a  basis  of  church  unity  would  on 
principle  be  inorganic,  if  not  disorganizing.  Pres- 
byterianism,  though  organic  and  organizing,  is 
separate  and  largely  unhistoric,  and  so  far  as 
historic,  has  become  too  dogmatic  and  polemic. 
Episcopalianism  also,  when  independent  and  un- 
historic, becomes  sectarian  and  schismatical,  los- 
ing its  unifying  force.  But  historic  episcopacy  has 
ever  included,  while  it  surmounted,  both  the  con- 
gregational and  the  presbyterial  spheres  of  the 
church  organism,  and  as  locally  adapted  to  the 
civil  and  religious  institutions  of  this  country, 
will  neither  sacrifice  the  liberties  of  the  congre- 
gation, nor  the  rights  of  presbytery.  Orthodoxy 
and  liberty  can  dwell  together  in  presbytery  only 
under  the  mild  sway  of  the  historic  episcopate. 

In  the  fourth  place,  it  is  tolerant  of  all  types  of 
churchmanship  as  well  as  forms  of  polity  and 
schools  of  doctrine.  If  neither  enjoins,  nor  for- 
bids, a  doctrine  of  aiDostolical  succession.  Pre- 
sented as  a  historic  institution  apart  from  any 
theory  of  its  origin  and  claims,  it  allows  all  such 
theories  without  repressing  any  of  them.  Not 
the  prelatic  theory,  not  the  presbyterian  theory, 
not  the  rationalistic  theory,  not  the  ritualistic 
theory,  alone  can  claim  exclusive  i^roperty  in  it 
without  rendering  it  partisan  and  sectarian. 
Were  any  one  of  these  theories  made  a  basis  of 


38  THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

cliurcli  unity,  the  clmrcli  itself  would  be  torn 
asunder,  and  its  different  schools  of  churchman- 
ship  fly  apart  as  mere  wrangling  sects.  The  fact, 
however,  that  they  are  found  loyally  uniting  in 
adherence  to  an  institution  w^hich  they  estimate 
from  so  many  diverse  points  of  view — this  fact 
proves  its  cax)acity  to  combine  the  Congregation- 
alists  and  Presbyterians,  still  beyond  its  reach, 
with  those  like-minded  churchmen  already  within 
its  bounds.  And  unless  different  rules  are  ap- 
plied to  candidates  and  incumbents,  it  may  be 
accepted  in  the  interest  of  church  unity,  as  it 
is  maintained,  on  a  presbyterian  no  less  than  a 
prelatic  theory  of  its  origin  and  merits.  It  will 
never  be  endangered  by  churchmen  who  have  had 
IDresbyterian  training ;  nor  can  it  fully  accomplish 
its  mission  in  this  country  without  the  sort  of 
ecclesiastical  backbone  which  they  furnish.  The 
historic  eiDiscopate  cannot  do  without  the  historic 
presbyterate. 

In  the  fifth  place,  its  exclusion  of  non-episcopal 
ministries,  though  otherwise  deemed  opprobri- 
ous, gives  it  in  fact  a  unifying  quality.  By  rec- 
ognizing such  ministries  it  could  not  help  true 
church  unity,  but  would  really  hinder  and  frus- 
trate it.  It  would  only  make  new  schisms  in  try- 
ing to  heal  old  ones.  It  would  at  once  loosen 
and  scatter  the  various  schools  of  divinity,  polity, 
and  churchmanship  which  it  now  holds  together 


UNIFYING  POWER  OF  THE  EPISCOPATE      39 

in  bonds  as  tenacious  as  tliey  are  elastic.  I  state 
the  fact  without  explaining*  it :  Differences  which 
have  elsewhere  issued  in  sectarianism,  are  some- 
how restrained  like  balanced  forces,  or  blended 
like  discordant  notes  in  a  higher  harmony.  Epis- 
copalians, Presbyterians,  and  Congregationalists 
in  their  relations  as  denominationalists  are  in  a 
chronic  state  of  antagonism  and  irritation ;  but 
the  very  same  Christians,  or  others  like  them,  in 
their  relations  as  churchmen,  holding  to  the  unity 
of  the  church,  .  .  .  simply  lose  all  their  sec- 
tarian rancor,  without  losing  their  distinctive  be- 
liefs. Denominational  variety  is  thus  visibly  made 
consistent  with  church  unity.  It  is  not  a  matter 
of  speculation.  We  have  before  us  all  the  while 
the  object-lesson  of  a  unifying  episcopate. 

In  the  sixth  place,  it  is  the  source  and  guarantee 
of  the  other  three  terms  of  church  unity.  Histor- 
ically, the  Sacraments,  the  Creeds,  and  the  Sacred 
Canon  emanated  from  the  primitive  episcoi^acy, 
howsoever  that  episcopate  may  have  been  con- 
nected with  the  apostles.  Historically,  they  after- 
ward continued  in  connection  with  episcopacy, 
though  encrusted  with  error  and  superstition  dur- 
ing the  middle  ages  until  the  Eeformation.  His- 
torically, ever  since  they  have  been  more  i^ersis- 
tently  maintained  in  Episcopal  churches  than  in 
other  Keformed  churches.  They  may  sometimes 
be  found  apart  from  episcopac\^,  but  not  episco- 


40  THE  HISTOEIC  EPISCOPATE 

pacy  apart  from  tliem.  To  render  tliem  consis- 
tent and  complete  episcopacy  is  needed,  and  as 
connected  with  tliem  it  imparts  strength  and 
concord  to  them  all.  At  once  sustaining  them 
and  sustained  by  them,  it  is  the  very  keystone 
of  church  unity. 

In  the  last  place,  it  is  only  through  the  historic 
episcopate  that  the  primitive  church  unity  can  be 
restored.  All  parties  seem  agreed  that  the  con- 
gregational, presbyterial,  and  episcopal  elements 
of  polity  coexisted  normally  in  the  undivided 
church  of  the  apostles.  All  must  admit  that 
they  are  now  in  an  abnormal,  dismembered  state, 
where  they  are  not  more  or  less  obliterated  by 
an  exclusive  Congregationalism,  or  Presbyterian- 
ism,  or  Episcopalianism.  In  order  to  recover 
the  lost  organic  unity  of  these  elements,  we  must 
retrace  the  steps  by  which  it  was  first  found. 
According  to  the  learned  Bishop  Lightfoot  the 
primitive  bishops  gradually  became  centres  of 
unity,  and  guardians  of  faith  among  the  scat- 
tered congregations  and  presbyteries  of  the  early 
church.  In  like  manner  the  congregationalist, 
presbyterian,  and  episcopalian  denominations  of 
our  day  can  only  recover  true  organic  unit}^  by 
returning  by  the  same  steps  to  that  episcopate  as 
it  first  arose  in  the  apostles'  time.  Already  one 
of  those  denominations  has  illustrated  in  its  his- 
tory this  primitive  evolution  ;  having  existed  first 


UNIFICATION  BY  CONFEDEKATION         41 

in  the  embryonic  stage  of  Congregationalism,  as 
a  clnster  of  detacliecl  j)arishes ;  thence,  emerging 
into  Presbyterianism,  with  its  conventions  of 
clerical  and  lay  delegates ;  and  at  length  acquir- 
ing the  full  ecclesiastical  character  in  the  Angli- 
can episcopate.  And  other  denominations,  as  yet 
congregational  or  presbyterial,  are  advancing, 
with  various  rates  of  progress  and  degrees  of  ap- 
proximation, toward  the  same  distant  but  inev- 
itable goal  of  the  whole  organic  development  of 
American  Christianity.  If  we  are  ever  to  have 
the  one  United  Church  of  the  United  States,  it 
would  seem  destined  to  find  its  flower  and  crown 
in  the  historic  episcopate. 

At  this  point  comes  into  view  the  next  im^oor- 
tant  question :  the  mode  of  approaching  church 
unity  on  the  basis  of  the  four  articles  of  the 
Chicago-Lambeth  declaration.  Two  methods,  or 
schemes,  have  been  proposed :  confederation  and 
consolidation.  .Without  opposing  either  of  them, 
I  shall  advocate  organic  reunion  and  growth  as 
the  more  natural  and  hopeful  process.  Let  us 
briefly  compare  them. 

UNIFICATION  BY  CONFEDERATION. 

According  to  the  first  of  the  three  methods, 

as    advocated    by    a    Presbyterian    divine,^    the 

'Rev.  Prof.  Charles  A.  Briggs,  D.D.,  of  Union  Theological 
Seminar r,  New  York. 


42  THE   HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

different  denominations  would  meet  by  deputies 
in  a  general  convention,  and  formally  adopt  the 
Lambeth  x^i'oposals  as  articles  of  confederation, 
while  retaining  in  all  other  respects  their  respec- 
tive standards  of  doctrine,  polity,  and  Avorship, 
except  so  far  as  they  might  require  modification 
and  adaptation.  Such  federal  councils  of  a  sin- 
gle denomination  have  already  been  held  by  the 
Anglican  body  in  the  Pan-Anglican  conference  ; 
by  the  Eeformed  body  in  the  Pan-Presbyterian 
Conference ;  and  by  the  Congregationalists  and 
Methodists  in  their  World's  Conventions.  Simi- 
lar conferences  may  yet  be  held  by  the  Lutheran 
churches,  and  perhaps  by  some  of  the  Baptist 
denominations.  "If  these  denominational  con- 
ferences," says  the  learned  Professor,  "  should  ac- 
cept the  four  propositions  of  the  Lambeth  Con- 
ference ;  or  if  accepting  them,  they  should  make 
some  additional  proposals;  if  the  Presbyterian 
General  Conference  should  propose  to  accept  the 
historic  episcopate,  provided  that  a  presbyterial 
organization  of  the  church  should  also  be  adopt- 
ed and  the  two  systems  be  brought  into  harmony; 
and  if  the  Congregational  General  Conference 
should  jpropose  to  accept  the  historic  episco- 
imte,  provided  that  the  right  of  the  Christian 
people,  and  the  independence  of  the  local  church 
were  guarded  with  certain  definite  areas;  if  we 
could  have  a  general  council   of  the   Christian 


UNIFICATION  BY  CONFEDERATION         43 

churches  of  America,  on  the  basis  of  the  four 
propositions  of  the  House  of  Bishops,  with  any 
reasonable  additions  or  modifications  that  might 
be  ]3roposed  ;  church  unity  would,  in  my  opinion, 
essentially  be  won."  ^ 

The  advantages  of  this  attractive  scheme  are 
apparent  at  the  first  glance.  It  proceeds  upon  the 
representative  and  federal  principles  with  which 
we  have  become  familiar  in  the  history  of  our 
political  unification  ;  and  it  harmonizes  with  the 
genius  of  our  religious  institutions,  especially  in 
congregationalist  and  presbyterian  communions. 
It  would  reduce  the  number  of  sects  by  com- 
pacting them  closely  in  family  groups  or  clusters, 
according  to  their  hereditary  and  doctrinal  affini- 
ties. It  would  satisfy  the  denominational  spirit 
by  according  to  it  an  equal  voice  and  vote  in 
council,  whatever  may  be  the  numbers  or  wealth 
or  intelligence  rei^resented.  It  would  offer  at 
length  the  moving  spectacle  of  great  denomina- 
tional leaders,  meeting  together  not  for  conflict, 
nor  for  recrimination,  as  in  former  times,  but  to 
adjust  the  ancient  disputes  of  Christendom  in  a 
spirit  of  love  and  harmony.  And  it  is  not  un- 
likely that  it  may  hereafter  play  some  important 
part  in  the  unifying  process. 

The  difiiculties  of  the  scheme  soon  appear  on 
closer  view.  It  would  substitute  the  artificial 
'  The  Churchman,  June  21,  1890. 


44:  THE  HISTOEIC  EPISCOPATE 

processes  of  federation  and  legislation  for  those 
of  spontaneous  growth  and  culture  in  the  forma- 
tion of  public  opinion  and  in  social  action.  It 
presupposes  radical  changes  in  some  denomina- 
tions, and  in  others  an  immense  increase  of  the 
ecclesiastical  spirit.  The  Roman  Catholics,  of 
course,  would  not  send  deputies  to  such  a  council. 
The  Baptists  and  Congregationalists  could  not, 
without  abandoning  their  own  principles ;  nor 
might  their  loose  aggregation  of  churches  be 
held  by  the  decisions  of  such  a  council.  The 
Methodists,  with  their  sense  of  a  denominational 
mission  and  lack  of  churchly  feeling,  are  not  yet 
ready  for  such  a  council.  It  would  be  practically 
restricted  to  the  Reformed  and  Presbyterian 
Churches,  and  the  Protestant  Episcoioal  Church, 
supposing  the  latter  to  appear  in  the  conference. 
And  then,  should  the  first  three  Lambeth  articles 
be  adopted,  the  fourth  would  soon  bristle  with 
the  delicate  questions  of  episcopal  ordination 
and  jurisdiction,  for  which  the  whole  presby- 
terian  body  at  least  is  not  yet  prepared.  The 
result  would  not  be  ecclesiastical  unity,  but  a 
mere  league,  made  offensive  and  defensiA^e  by  the 
reassertion  of  Presbytery  against  Prelacy  on  the 
one  side,  and  against  Papacy  on  the  other. 


UNIFICATION  BY  CONSOLIDATION  45 

UNIFICATION  BY  CONSOLIDATION. 

According  to  the  second  method  of  unification, 
proposed  by  an  Episcopal  clergyman/  a  single 
denomination  would  become  the  nucleus  around 
which  others  would  be  crystallized  and  at  length 
consolidated  in  one  ecclesiastical  system,  while 
yet  retaining  their  admirable  variety  in  doctrine, 
ritual,  culture,  and  life.  As  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church  alone  possesses  the  four  Lambeth 
conditions  of  agreement,  it  is  natural  to  take  it 
as  such  a  rallying  centre,  and  hope  to  merge 
other  Christian  bodies  into  corj^orate  union  with 
it.  The  old-fashioned  view  seems  to  have  been, 
that  it  is  potentially  the  national  church,  des- 
tined, as  it  stands  to-day,  with  its  canons,  liturgy, 
articles,  and  orders,  to  dissolve  and  recompose  the 
other  one  hundred  and  forty-two  denominations 
around  it,  and  transform  them  into  Protestant 
Episcopalian  churchmen  by  the  sheer  force  of 
propagandism.  Such  a  view  would  demand  the 
faith  and  zeal  of  a  Hildebrand.  The  later  and 
larger  view  seems  to  be  that,  by  incorporating  the 
four  principles  in  the  existing  constitution  of  the 
church  as  the  only  ecclesiastical  requirements, 
other  denominations  accepting  those  require- 
ments might  be  included  within  its  pale,  substan- 

'  Tlie  Rev.  W.  R,  Huntington,  D.D,,  Rector  of  Grace  Church, 
New  York. 


46  THE  HISTOKIC  EPISCOPATE 

tially  as  they  now  are,  with  an  allowed  diversity 
in  their  methods  of  worship  and  work.  "  Every 
one  of  the  denominations,"  says  the  eloquent  ad- 
vocate of  this  view,  "  has  its  own  hallowed  mem- 
ories, its  own  roll  of  martyrs,  its  own  cherished 
manner  of  worship,  its  own  long-tried  methods  of 
missionary  work.  The  theory  of  consolidation 
supposes  not  only  their  permitted  but  their  con- 
stitutionally guarded  continuance."  ^ 

No  true  lover  of  church  unity  could  let  mere 
traditional  prejudice  or  sectarian  jealousy  mar 
this  noble  ideal  of  charity  and  harmony.  If  any 
one  of  the  denominations  is  thus  destined  to  be- 
come like  Aaron's  rod  that  swallowed  up  the  rods 
of  the  magicians,  this  were  better  than  that  the 
serpent  brood  of  sects  and  schisms  should  go  on 
multiplying.  Nor  could  any  one  of  them  better 
achieve  such  a  consolidation  than  that  one  which 
stands  among  them,  not  only  as  the  very  flower 
of  English  civilization,  but  as  the  highest  type 
of  organized  Christianity  ;  which  combines  in  its 
polity  congregational,  presbyterial,  and  episcopal 
elements  that  have  elsewhere  become  separate 
and  disjointed;  which  conserves  in  its  liturgy 
the  choicest  formularies  of  the  reformed  as  well 
as  the  historic  churches  ;  and  of  which,  as  an  in- 
termediary between  Protestantism  and  Catholi- 
cism and  in  touch  with  both,  it  has  been  strik- 

'  Tlie  Peace  of  the  Church,  p.  42. 


UNIFICATION  BY  CONSOLIDATION  47 

ingly  said,^  it  was  like  one  of  those  precious 
chemicals  capable  of  fusing  substances  other- 
wise unassociable.  No  wonder  that  even  the  Jesu- 
it De  Maistre  was  forced  to  admit  its  wonderful 
future,  like  Balaam  blessing  the  distant  tents  of 
Israel  which  he  had  been  fain  to  curse.  No  won- 
der that  non-episcopal  divines,  as  well  as  far- 
seeing  bishops,  are  beginning  to  recognize  "  the 
majestic  mission  of  the  Anglican  Church  and  of 
her  daughter  in  America."  Whatever  other  great 
and  powerful  denominations  may  yet  wheel  into 
the  line  of  historic  Christianity,  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  must  ever  lead  them  in  the 
march  toward  ultimate  unity. 

The  difficulties  of  consolidation  are  more  in  the 
process  than  in  the  result,  more  in  the  way  of 
approach  than  in  the  end  attained.  Though  its 
aim  be  catholic,  its  point  of  departure  would  be 
denominational.  Though  in  theory  tolerant  of 
other  communions,  it  would  in  practice  absorb 
them.  However  self-sacrificing  in  its  spirit,  it 
would  look  to  them  like  zealous  proselytism  and  ec- 
clesiastical aggrandizement.  While  projecting  be- 
fore them  an  attractive  goal  of  unity  amid  variety, 
it  would  seem  to  invite  them  thither  only  through 
the  successive  stages  of  concession,  submission, 
absorption,  extinction.     In  their  view  it  would  be 

^  De  Maistre,  as  quoted  by  Bishop  Coxe  in  a  paper  read  at 
the  Chicago  Congress  on  Organic  Unity. 


48  THE   HISTOKIC  EPISCOPATE 

somewhat  like  gaining  the  boon  of  immortality 
at  the  loss  of  i^ersonal  identity.  Here  and  there 
some  detached  Congregationalist  society,  ripe  for 
the  change,  might  melt  away  into  the  greater  ab- 
sorbing body.  Bnt  compact  national  churches 
would  not  so  easily  surrender  their  corporate  life. 
The  Methodists  would  need  to  undo  much  of  their 
history  before  they  could  return  to  the  church 
whence  they  went  out.  The  Lutheran  and  Re- 
formed bodies,  Dutch  and  German,  never  having 
gone  out  of  the  Anglican  Church,  could  not  very 
well  be  asked  to  return.  The  great  Presbyterian 
communion,  ever  since  it  was  driven  out,  has  set 
up  rival  claims  which  it  would  not  lower  without 
at  least  a  salute.  And  the  greater  Eoman  Cath- 
olic communion  would  simply  reverse  the  invi- 
tation and  bid  us  all  come  back  to  the  mother 
church.  Moreover,  should  the  invitation  be 
heeded,  the  little  consolidating  body,  with  all  its 
conservative  vigor,  w^ould  soon  be  resisting  the 
intrusion  of  so  much  foreign  and  uncongenial 
material,  or  find  it  not  very  easy  of  assimilation. 
At  least  one  school  of  churchmen  would  view  it 
suspiciously  as  a  Trojan  horse* of  masked  sec- 
tarianism. Should  the  consolidating  process  be- 
come rapid  and  complete,  the  smaller  absorbing 
body  would  soon  be  itself  absorbed  by  the  larger 
entering  bodies  ;  the  transforming  nucleus  would 
be  itself  transformed  by  alien  ideas  and  usages  ; 


UNIFICATION  BY   OKGANIC  GROWTH       49 

at  t]ie  rallying  centre  would  spring  up  repellent 
as  well  as  attracting  influences,  and  in  the  end 
Episcopacy  would  be  obliged  to  reassert  itself 
against  denomination alism  as  well  as  against 
Romanism. 

UNIFICATION  BY  OKGANIC  GROWTH. 

Between  these  extreme  methods  there  is  a 
third  mode  of  unification,  which  I  have  ventured 
to  call  the  process  of  organic  reunion  and  growth. 
It  would  seek  to  combine  the  good  in  the  other 
two  methods  without  the  evil.  In  distinction 
from  the  first,  it  would  be  an  organic  process  of 
growth  rather  than  an  artificial  act  of  legisla- 
tion ;  and  in  distinction  from  the  second,  it  would 
be  an  organic  reunion  of  ecclesiastical  elements  in 
different  Christian  bodies,  rather  than  a  crude  ab- 
sorption by  one  Christian  body  of  all  the  rest ; 
a  knitting  together  of  the  congregational,  pres- 
byterial,  and  episcopal  polities  wherever  found, 
rather  than  a  welding  of  the  existing  medley 
of  churches.  Its  rallying  centre  would  be  in  the 
midst  of  the  denominations,  not  aside  in  any  one 
of  them.  Its  crystallizing  nucleus  would  simj)ly 
be  the  four  Lambeth  articles  of  unity  as  detached 
from  the  Episcopal  Church,  no  less  than  from  the 
Roman  Church,  or  from  the  Reformed  churches, 
or  from  any  other  churches  which  may  possess  or 
acquire  some  or  all  of  them.  Especially  would  it 
4 


50  THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

find  such  a  nucleus  or  g-erm  in  that  catholic  epis- 
copate, which,  if  confined  to  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church,  would  itself  become  denominational 
and  sectarian  ;  but  if  extended  over  the  other  de- 
nominations, would  recombine  their  congrega- 
tional, presbyterial,  and  episcopal  institutions  not 
merely  in  one  ideal  polity,  but  as  restored  parts 
of  the  one  undivided  Apostolic  church.  In  a 
word,  while  confederation  would  arrange  the  de- 
nominations in  a  mere  artificial  mosaic,  and  con- 
solidation would  compact  them  as  a  crude  con- 
glomerate, organic  reunion  would  develop  them 
as  an  organism  into  the  one  body  of  Christ. 

ORGANIC  REUNION  OF  PRESBYTERY  AND  EPISCOPACY. 

Take,  for  illustration,  the  Presbyterian  and 
Episcopal  churches,^  now  in  hopeful  negotiation 

'  The  Presbyterian  Cliiircli  is  more  closely  allied  to  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  both  historically  and  doctrinally, 
than  any  other  Christian  body  in  the  country.  Its  standards,  as 
framed  by  the  Westminster  Assembly,  were  once  legally  estab- 
lished in  the  Church  of  England,  as  they  are  now  maintained 
by  the  established  Church  of  Scotland,  with  the  Sovereign 
as  a  communicant  in  both  churches.  The  two  communions 
hold  substantially  the  same  doctrine  of  the  ministry  and  sacra- 
ments, the  one  attaching  the  doctrine  to  presbytery  and  the 
other  attaching  it  to  episcopacy  ;  and  in  other  matters  of  polity 
and  worship  there  has  long  been  a  growing  assimilation  and 
agreement. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1890  met  the  advances  of  the  Gen- 


PRESBYTERY  AND   EPISCOPACY  51 

on  the  basis  of  the  Chicago-Lambeth  proposals. 
Were  these  two  bodies  at  once  either  confederated 
or  consolidated,  it  would  be  an  inconceivable  ca- 
tastrophe to  both  of  them.  It  is  not  so  incon- 
ceivable, however,  that  they  should  be  brought 
together  at  points  where  they  are  in  touch  and  ad- 
mit of  connection.  Already  they  have  such  points 
of  contact  and  agreement  in  three  of  the  Lambeth 
articles ;  in  the  Scriptures,  the  Creeds,  and  the 
•Sacraments.  It  only  remains  to  attach  them  in 
the  Episcopate.     And  that  attachment  might  be 

eral  Convention  by  passing  without  dissent  the  following  reso- 
lution : 

"  The  Assembly  approves  in  general  the  spirit  and  position 
of  the  Committee  on  Church  Unity  in  its  correspondence  with 
the  representatives  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  de- 
sires a  continuance  of  these  negotiations  with  reference  to  a 
union  on  the  basis  of  the  four  propositions  of  the  House  of 
Bishops,  in  order  that  all  questions  at  issue  may  be  discussed 
in  a  temper  of  Christian  charity  and  brotherly  affection,  with  a 
view  to  their  full  and  final  solution." 

The  last  General  Assembly  at  Washington  continued  its  Spec- 
ial Committee  on  Church  Unity,  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph  T.  Smith  and 
Rev.  Prof.  Francis  Brown,  and  approved  their  report  of  prog- 
ress, which  contained  this  recommendation  : 

"  The  Assembly  hereby  recommends  the  holding  of  conven- 
tions, according  to  the  terms  proposed  by  the  Episcopal  Com- 
mission for  the  promotion  of  Christian  unity.  It  also  enjoins 
upon  the  members  of  the  church  represented  in  the  Assembly, 
prayer,  both  in  puV)lic  and  in  private,  for  the  realization  of  this 
unitv." 


52  THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

begun  by  means  of  concurrent  ordinations,  on 
the  principle  advocated  by  a  learned  and  ac- 
complished bishop  of  St.  Andrews  (the  late  Dr. 
Charles  Wordsworth^)  for  the  reconciliation  of 
Presbyterians  and  Episcopalians  in  the  Church  of 
Scotland.     In  such  ordinations  candidates  woidd 

'  "  The  proposition  of  Bishop  Wordsworth,  made  through  a 
committee  of  the  Last  Lambeth  Conference,  was  substantially 
this :  that  the  full  ministerial  standing  of  clergymen  Presbyteri- 
ally  ordained  be  now  recognized,  provided  that  hereafter  all 
their  ordinations  should  be  by  bishops.  .  .  .  This  proposi- 
tion was  not  accepted  by  the  Conference,  and  probably  for  two 
good  reasons,  if  for  no  other  :  because  it  was  not  prepared  to  act 
so  suddenly  in  so  serious  a  matter,  and  also  because,  being  only 
a  Conference,  it  liad  no  authority  so  to  act.  But  it  should  also 
be  said,  that  ten  out  of  the  twelve  members  of  the  committee 
voted  for  it,  and  that  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  expressed  his 
*  very  full  and  hearty  sympathy  with  it.'  Altogether  it  is  no 
doubt  a  very  special  expedient ;  but  it  is  the  only  one  so  far 
proposed  with  any  promise  of  likelihood  in  it.  God  grant  that 
some  way  out  of  the  dilemma  may  be  found  with  honor  to  Him 
and  to  all !  " — Address  on  Church  Unity  hy  the  Right  Rev. 
Boyd  Vincent,  8.T.D.,  Assistant  Bishop  of  Southern  Ohio. 

The  suggestion  above  made  differs  from  this  proposition  in  two 
respects  :  In  the  Episcopalian  view,  the  authorization  would  not 
be  universal  and  indiscriminate,  but  gradual,  as  special  cases 
arise  ;  and  in  the  Presbyterian  view,  the  question  of  valid  ordi- 
nation would  not  be  raised  but  left  untouched  in  tlie  sphere  of 
private  judgment,  as  at  present.  Many  Episcopalians  and  Pres- 
byterians already  hold  the  principles  involved  in  a  concurrent 
ordination.  Why  not  act  upon  those  principles  formally  as  well 
as  practically,  and  in  a  frank  and  generous  spirit  V 


PRESBYTEEY   AND   EPISCOPACY  53 

be  presented  to  the  bishop,  with  the  concurrence 
of  the  presbytery,  by  priests  who  have  had  for- 
merly presbyterian  ordination,  or  loerha^DS  by  pres- 
byterian  ministers  who  have  had  formerly  epis- 
copal ordination.  The  transaction  might  be  kept 
within-  the  rubric  as  well  as  the  book,  or  at  least 
within  the  Lambeth  xoroposals,  and  Avould  involve 
a  practical  sanction  of  all  conceivable  interests 
and  claims,  with  no  possibility  of  doubt  or  contro- 
versy. Both  parties  would  have  acted  upon  their 
respective  theories  of  the  Christian  ministry, 
without  conceding"  anything  to  each  other,  and 
without  reflecting  upon  one  another.  The  most 
extreme  Episcopalian,  from  his  point  of  view, 
Avould  have  fully  legitimated  a  ministry  which 
on  other  grounds  he  was*  prepared  to  appreciate 
and  welcome ;  and  the  most  extreme  Presby- 
terian, from  his  point  of  view,  would  have  only 
gained  enlarged  authority  for  a  ministry  which 
he  believed  to  be  already  valid  and  regular.  As 
in  a  marriage  of  rival  houses,  former  causes  of 
warfare  would  disappear,  and  the  contracting 
parties  henceforth  would  have  common  aims  and 
interests. 

Nor  would  there  be  anything  disingenuous  or 
very  novel  in  a  concurrent  ordination  thus  under- 
stood to  represent  Presbyterians  and  Episcopa- 
lians. Ei^iscopalians  see  something  like  it  Avhen- 
ever  a  postulant  brings  with  him  the  commenda- 


54  THE   HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

tion  of  twelve  of  his  former  co-presbyters.  Pres- 
byterians see  something  like  it,  whenever  an  Epis- 
copal minister  after  due  examination  receives  the 
authority  of  presbytery.  Both  Presbyterians  and 
Episcopalians  see  something  like  it,  whenever 
High  and  Low  Church  bishops  and  presbyters 
unite  in  conferring  holy  orders.  AVhat  would  be 
the  essential  difference,  either  in  intention  or  in 
effect,  between  co-ordination  in  this  last  case  and 
in  the  case  before  described  ? 

The  difficulty  Avould  not  be  in  the  rite  of  or- 
dination so  much  as  in  the  sphere  of  jurisdiction. 
And  there  it  might  not  prove  insuperable,  if  met 
cautiously  and  by  degrees.  The  connection 
might  first  be  made  where  there  would  be  least 
embarrassment.  On  foreign  mission  fields,  surely 
such  ordinations  ought  not  to  bring  any  conflict 
of  presbyterial  and  episcopal  jurisdiction.  On 
home  mission  fields  there  are,  as  yet  no  vested 
rights  and  interests  to  prevent  an  arranged  coin- 
cidence of  jurisdiction.  In  the  public  service  of 
the  Army  and  Navy,  and  in  purely  academic  posi- 
tions, the  coincidence  would  seem  to  be  already 
practicable.  There  would  be  no  more  danger  of 
free  lances  then  than  now  in  this  free  country. 
Moreover  co-ordination  would  make  re-ordination 
easy  and  reputable,  when  desirable.  Gradually,  as 
such  examples  became  familiar  and  contagious, 
the  j)arishes  and  presbyteries  within  a  synod  or 


IDEAL   FULFILMENT   OF  CHURCH   UNITY     55 

diocese  would  come  under  bishops  of  their  own 
choice  through  their  own  action.  At  length,  by 
such  a  reunion  of  presbytery  and  episcopacy  in 
ail  denominations,  the  very  core  of  Protestantism 
would  be  unified  on  a  church  basis,  and  could 
bring  its  crude  remainder  under  potent  church 
influences.  The  chief  ecclesiastical  bodies  in  the 
land,  all  the  historic  Efeformed  churches,  would 
stand  compacted  as  a  solid  phalanx  against  sec- 
tarianism on  the  one  side  and  infidelity  on  the 
other. 

IDEAL  FULFILMENT  OF  CHUECH  UNITY. 

In  order  to  complete  this  ideal  sketch,  let  us 
now  imagine  the  Lambeth  articles  of  unity  to 
have  been  thus  adopted  by  the  chief  Christian 
bodies  between  the  extremes  of  Protestantism  and 
Catholicism.  In  that  event,  the  historic  episco- 
pate would  have  been  extended  over  all  congrega- 
tional, presbyterial,  and  episcopal  denominations  ; 
but  those  very  names  would  have  lost  their  sec- 
tarian meaning,  and  serve  only  to  indicate  organic 
members  and  functions  in  the  ecclesiastical  body. 
The  Apostolic  and  Nicene  Creeds  would  have  been 
accepted,  the  one  as  a  symbol  of  church  member- 
ship, and  the  other  as  a  sufficient  statement  of  the 
Christian  faith ;  but  while  some  communions,  ac- 
cording to  their  origin,  might  still  train  under 
the  polemic  standards  of  Augsburg,  Heidelberg, 


56  THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

Geneva,  and  Westminster,  other  communions 
might  be  content  to  display  such  standards  as 
mere  antique  trophies  in  the  castle  of  orthodoxy. 
The  two  sacraments  of  our  Lord  would  be  every- 
where ministered  with  His  appointed  words  and 
elements ;  but  if  in  such  ministration  some  par- 
ishes might  still  keep  the  Prayer-Book  intact  with 
its  Protestant  and  Catholic  formularies  compacted 
as  a  finished  product  of  liturgic  lore  and  skill,  yet 
other  parishes  might  choose  only  its  Protestant 
formularies,  the  Exhortations,  Confessions,  Pray- 
ers, Thanksgivings,  Lessons,  and  Commandments 
derived  from  the  Lord's  Day  Service  of  the  Ee- 
formers,  popular  in  style,  and  tending  to  spiritual- 
ity in  worship  ;  while  still  other  parishes  might 
prefer  the  Catholic  formularies,  Matins  and  Even- 
song, Litany,  Holy  Communion,  with  their  Yersi- 
cles,  Kyries,  and  Glorias,  serving  as  an  Englished 
Breviary  and  Missal,  choral  in  structure,  and  ad- 
mitting of  the  highest  artistic  embellishment  when 
freed  from  their  Protestant  accretions.  In  a  word, 
the  four  articles  would  have  become  rallying  cen- 
tres for  all  our  chief  denominational  varieties  of 
doctrine  and  ritual,  and  served  to  reconcile  a  just 
Protestantism  with  a  true  Catholicism  in  one  re- 
united Church  of  the  United  States.  Meanwhile, 
too,  let  us  hope,  the  great  Koman  Church,  no  lon- 
ger antagonistic,  already  possessed  of  the  es- 
sential principles  of  unity  —  the  Scriptures,  the 


SLOW  GKOWTH  OF  CHURCH  UNITY        57 

Creeds,  the  two  Sacraments,  and  the  Episcopate— 
and  being  modified  by  American  influences,  would 
be  ready  to  connect  her  old  Catholicism  with  our 
new  Catholicism,  under  the  mild  primacy  of  her 
Chief  Pastor,  in  defence  of  a  common  faith,  a  com- 
mon country,  and  a  common  civilization. 

SLOW  GROWTH  OF  CHURCH  UNITY. 

The  approach  to  Church  unity  must  be  slow, 
and  the  way  may  be  long-  and  difficult.  Not  in 
one  generation,  perhaps  not  in  several  generations, 
can  it  be  effected ;  not  by  spasmodic  efforts,  hos- 
tile to  all  religious  life  and  growth ;  not  by  spo- 
radic conversions,  always  iDersonal  in  their  signifi- 
cance, sometimes  dubious,  never  unifying  ;  not  by 
coalitions  with  sectarian  fragments,  tending  only 
to  denominational  aggrandisement  and  encumber- 
ing the  ecclesiastical  body  with  undigested  ma- 
terial. No :  Church  unity  can  only  be  attained  by  a 
stead}^  growth  of  Church  principles  in  all  denomi- 
nations, by  a  generous  recognition  of  Church  insti- 
tutions wherever  found.  Congregational  and  Pres- 
byterial  as  well  as  Episcopal;  and  by  a  noble 
comprehension  of  such  principles  and  institutions, 
together  with  their  respective  adherents,  within 
one  large  and  tolerant  Church  system.  Confeder- 
ation may  play  its  part  in  some  stages  of  the  or- 
ganic process ;  not  decreeing  unity  by  treaty  or 
statute,  but   ratifying   its   spontaneous   achieve- 


58  THE   HISTOKIC  EPISCOPATE 

ments  ;  and  consolidation  may  appear  at  the  goal 
of  the  process  ;  not  as  merging"  different  denomi- 
nations in  the  Episcopal  Church,  or  in  the  Pres- 
byterian Chiirch,  or  in  the  Eoman  Church,  but 
only  as  merg-ing  all  churches  and  denominations 
in  the  one  American  Catholic  Church. 

The  outlook  for  Church  unity  at  the  present 
time  may  not  seem  very  hopeful.  If  we  confine 
our  attention  to  i^assing  occurrences  it  will  ap- 
pear quite  discouraging.  Religious  controversy 
has  broken  out  afresh  in  some  of  the  Churches, 
while  yet  they  were  devising  means  of  agreement. 
Even  the  words  of  peace  from  Chicago  and  Lam- 
beth, surcharged  with  partisan  meaning  and  dis- 
torted by  sectarian  misapprehension,  have  be- 
come like  rallying  standards  hidden  in  the  smoke 
of  battle.  But  let  us  not  judge  by  superficial  and 
local  signs.  Great  religious  movements  must  be 
measured  by  the  march  of  generations  through 
centuries,  not  by  current  events  of  the  day  and  the 
hour.  If  we  will  take  into  view  the  historic  past 
together  with  the  present,  we  shall  see  that  the 
entire  Protestant  body,  for  more  than  a  hundred 
years,  has  been  steadily  recoiling  from  the  ex- 
treme sectarianism  into  which  it  was  driven  by 
the  impulses  of  the  Eeformation,  and  that  return- 
ing Church  unity  is  made  inevitable  by  the  logic 
of  tendencies,  if  not  yet  by  the  logic  of  events. 


LOGICAL  TENDENCIES  TO  UNITY  59 

LOGICAL  TENDENCIES  TO  CHURCH  UNITY. 

First  among  such  logical  tendencies  is  the  de- 
cline of  the  polemic  spirit.  Despite  some  pres- 
ent appearances  this  is  not  a  polemic  age.  The- 
ological controversy  is  not  now,  as  it  once  was, 
the  most  serious  pursuit  of  life,  when  men 
crossed  swords  over  a  dogmatic  distinction  and 
consigned  heretical  writers  with  their  books  to 
the  flames.  Theological  controversy  is  no  longer 
the  wordy  combat  that  it  was  among  the  divines 
of  the  last  generation,  when  rival  schools  flew 
apart  as  hostile  Churches.  Nothing  is  now  more 
censured  and  deprecated  than  such  controversy. 
Bishops,  Presbyteries,  and  Councils  are  slow  in 
bringing  erring  brethren  to  book,  although  the 
questions  are  as  vital  as  incarnation,  probation, 
and  inspiration.  When  the  Church  trial  does 
come,  the  call  to  orthodoxy  is  blended  with  cries 
for  liberty  and  peace.  This  is  not  the  polemic, 
but  the  irenic  period  in  the  history  of  doctrine. 
The  age  of  division  is  gone ;  that  of  reunion  has 
come.  Christian  divines  meeting  in  conferences, 
alliances,  congresses  are  trying  to  see  how  much 
they  agree  rather  than  how  much  they  differ. 
And  the  spirit  of  fraternity  which  is  abroad 
among  them  will  be  satisfied  with  nothing  short 
of  true  unity. 


00  THE   HISTOEIC  EPISCOPATE 

DECLINE   OF  THE  DENOMINATIONAL  SPIKIT. 

Another  of  the  logical  tendencies  toward 
Church  unity  is  the  decline  of  the  denominational 
spirit.  This  has  largely  ceased  to  be  a  mere  sec- 
tarian spirit.  The  denominations  do  indeed  con- 
tinue among  us,  with  their  denominational  titles 
and  emblems  conspicuously  paraded,  especially 
on  anniversary  occasions  and  in  convivial  mo- 
ments. But  some  of  them  have  lost  their  raisoji 
d'etre  by  being  translated  to  the  New  World,  where 
their  Dutch,  German,  French,  and  Scotch  dialects 
are  no  longer  spoken,  and  their  political  environ- 
ment has  become  wholly  American.  Others  have 
lost  their  sectarian  bitterness  with  the  dying  out 
of  the  polemic  feuds  which  made  them  Lutheran, 
Calvinistic,  and  TVesleyan,  and  through  the  social 
intercourse  of  their  adherents.  All  of  them  have 
departed  from  their  j)i'iniitive  standards  and  us- 
ages, and  now  linger  as  little  more  than  mere  an- 
achronisms. There  is  not  one  of  them  that  would 
be  recognized  by  their  respective  founders  and 
fathers,  the  Puritan,  the  Covenanter,  the  Method- 
ist of  a  century  ago.  Now,  the  moment  any  sys- 
tem begins  to  be  thus  false  to  its  own  historic 
life  and  traditions,  that  moment  it  begins  to  die 
and  its  self -laudation  is  but  a  sign  of  its  deca- 
dence. Already  it  is  becoming  unpopular,  not  to 
say  unchristian,  to  assert  bald  denominationalism 


EEVIVAL   OF  ECCLESIASTICAL   SPIRIT       01 

against  Church  unity  ;  and  the  disappearance  of 
denominationalism  is  the  disappearance  of  the 
last  obstacle  to  Church  unity. 

REVIVAL   OF  THE  ECCLESIASTICAL   SPIRIT. 

With  the  decline  of  the  polemic  and  denomi- 
national spirit  has  come  a  wonderful  rise  and 
growth  of  the  ecclesiastical  spirit.  Throughout 
the  Christian  world  there  is  a  great  revival  of 
churchly  ideas  and  catholic  usages.  Beginning 
fifty  years  ago  in  the  school  of  Keble  and  Pusey, 
it  has  passed  from  the  Church  of  England  into 
the  Church  of  Scotland.  Even  in  that  stronghold 
of  Presbyterian  worship,  St.  Giles'  Church,  at 
Edinburgh,  the  visitor  to-day  will  find  all  the 
correct  appliances  of  high  ritual ;  an  altar  clothed 
in  the  color  of  the  church  season ;  lessons  read 
from  an  eagle-lectern ;  creed  and  psalter  music- 
ally rendered ;  a  sermon  on  some  Tractariau 
theme ;  and  mayhap  the  very  collect  to  which 
Jennie  Geddes  so  forcibly  responded.  Our  own 
churches  are  feeling  a  like  reaction.  The  Puritan 
of  our  time  loves  to  call  his  meeting-house  a 
church;  keeps  Christmas  and  Good  Friday  as 
well  as  Thanksgiving  and  Fast  Day ;  and  some- 
times forgets  the  local  in  the  historic  church.  If 
he  becomes  a  Unitarian,  he  has  churchly  tastes 
and  affinities.  The  Hollander  is  restoring  his  an- 
tique liturgy.     The  Lutheran  is  looking  after  his 


62  THE  HISTORIC  EPISCOPATE 

lost  episcopate.  The  Methodist  is  listening  to  a 
learned  ministry  with  liturgical  aids  to  devotion. 
The  Presbyterian  is  reclaiming  his  version  of  the 
Prayer-book  and  pondering  the  advantages  of 
episcopacy.  The  churchly  Episcopalian  is  going 
to  confession  and  early  mass  and  looking  for- 
ward to  the  archbishopric.  Many  Protestants 
would  like  to  have  brotherhoods  and  sisterhoods, 
and  can  heartily  join  our  Koman  Catholic  friends 
in  praising  SS.  Augustine,  Aquinas,  and  Bernard, 
and  even  the  Holy  Father  himself  in  his  present 
American  policy.  There  is  not  a  Christian  de- 
nomination in  the  land  which  is  not  becoming 
more  or  less  consciously  ecclesiastical  in  its  aims 
and  tendencies.  And  the  growth  of  the  ecclesias- 
tical spirit  simply  means  the  growth  of  Church 
unity. 

POPULAR  TENDENCIES  TO   CHURCH  UNITY. 

Besides  the  logical  tendencies  to  Church  unity 
among  Christian  scholars  and  thinkers,  we  may 
discern  certain  more  popular  tendencies,  none 
the  less  potent,  because  unconscious,  and  even 
illogical.  Unlike  their  educated  leaders  the 
Christian  masses  are  moving  toward  unity,  not 
by  the  slow  steps  of  reasoning,  but  with  the 
swiftness  of  intuition  and  the  force  of  passion. 
Sometimes  they  may  seem  to  be  unreasonable 
and  blind  in  their  impatience  of  all  existing  re- 


POPULAE  TENDENCIES  TO  UNITY  G3 

straints  and  obstacles.  Paradoxical  as  it  may 
sound,  tliey  are  even  now  ready  for  the  Chicago- 
Lambetli  terms  without  knowing  it,  and  wdiile  re- 
pudiating each  one  of  them.  Do  they  not  cling 
to  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  the  only  rule  of  faith, 
while  seizing  those  Scriptures  as  if  handed  down 
out  of  Heaven  and  utterly  ignoring  the  historic 
Church  through  which  alone  they  have  acquired 
them?  Do  they  not  confess  the  Christian  facts 
and  truths  set  forth  in  the  Apostolic  and  Nicene 
Creeds,  w^iile  refusing  either  to  saj^  or  sing 
those  creeds,  and  treating  them  as  mere  ritualis- 
tic forms  ?  Do  they  not  receive  the  two  Sacra- 
ments of  Christ  with  His  own  instituting  words 
and  emblems,  while  rejecting  the  solemn  and  ten- 
der liturgy  which  has  preserved  those  Sacra- 
ments amid  the  prayers  and  praises  of  saints  and 
martyrs  in  all  ages  ?  Do  they  not  call  upon  Con- 
gregationalists,  Presbyterians,  and  Episcopalians 
to  have  done  with  their  trivial  disputes  and  come 
together  like  Christians  in  one  Church,  while 
still  sneering  at  an  all-unifying  episcopate  as  but 
the  dream  of  a  few  sentimental  ecclesiastics  ?  In 
a  word,  although  casting  aside  the  words  *'  one 
Catholic  and  Apostolic  Church"  as  rags  of 
popery,  yet  are  they  not  in  heart  and  hope  ever 
yearning  after  what  is  meant  by  the  words  "  one 
Catholic  and  Apostolic  Church  ? "  Some  day 
these  verbal  disguises  by  which  they  are  hidden 


64  THE  HISTOEIC  EPISCOPATE 

from  one  another  and  kept  apart  will  melt  away 
like  mists  in  the  sunrise. 

THE  COMING  CAMPAIGN  OF  EDUCATION. 

It  has  been  well  said  that  we  are  entering"  "  a 
campaign  of  education."  In  the  most  elementary 
sense,  we  all  need  information ;  clergymen  as  well 
as  laymen,  Presbyterians  as  well  as  Congrega- 
tionalists,  Episcopalians  as  well  as  Presbyterians, 
Catholics  as  well  as  Protestants.  All  churches 
and  denominations  need  to  become  better  ac- 
quainted with  one  another.  Therefore,  it  is  with 
a  wise  forethought  that  the  Lambeth  Conference 
"recommends  as  of  great  importance  in  tending- 
to  bring  about  reunion,  the  dissemination  of  in- 
formation "  not  only  "  respecting  the  standards  of 
doctrine  and  the  formularies  in  use  in  the  Angli- 
can Church,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  respecting 
the  authoritative  standards  of  doctrine,  worship, 
and  government  adopted  by  the  other  bodies  of 
Christians  into  which  the  English-speaking  races 
are  divided."  The  former  part  of  this  Eecom- 
mendation  has  already  found  its  fulfilment  in  a 
"  Church  Unity  Society,"  which  cannot  be  too 
highly  praised  or  too  vigorously  pressed  for- 
ward in  its  high  mission.  The  latter  part  of  the 
Recommendation  might  find  fulfilment  in  a  less 
formal  association  or  circle,  freed  from  any  sus- 
picion of  denominational  propagandism  by  being 


THE  COMING  CAMPAIGN   OF  EDUCATION     65 

comiDosed  of  representatives  of  the  three  polities, 
Congregational  and  Presbyterial  as  well  as  Epis- 
copal, and  aiming  to  give  to  the  public  only  the 
results  of  special  research  and  studious  conference. 
But  more  even  than  information  do  we  need 
that  spirit  of  prayer  out  of  which  alone  can  be 
born  a  true  unity.  Such  a  s^oirit  will  dispose  us 
to  minimize  our  differences  and  magnify  our 
agreements.  Such  a  spirit  will  melt  away  our 
prejudices  and  jealousies.  The  need  of  such  a 
spirit  has  been  recognized  by  the  highest  Pres- 
byterian authority,  and  the  highest  Episcopal 
authority  has  already  voiced  it  for  us  in  words 
which  express  the  desire  of  all  Christian  hearts : 

"  O  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
our  only  Saviour,  the  Prince  of  Peace ;  give  us 
grace  seriously  to  lay  to  heart  the  great  danger 
we  are  in  by  our  unhappy  divisions.  Take  away 
all  hatred  and  prejudice,  and  whatsoever  else  may 
hinder  us  from  godly  union  and  concord,  that  as 
there  is  but  one  Body  and  one  Spirit,  and  one 
hope  of  our  calling,  one  Lord,  one  Faith,  one 
Baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  us  all:  so  we 
may  henceforth  be  all  of  one  heart  and  of  one 
soul,  united  in  one  holy  bond  of  Truth  and  Peace, 
of  Faith  and  Charity,  and  may  with  one  mind  and 
one  mouth  glorify  Thee,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.     Amen." 


In  Preparation 

THE  UNITED  CHURCH  OF  THE 
UNITED   STATES 


OR   THE    PROBLEM    OF 


American    Church    Unity 
By  Prof.  CHARLES  W.  SHIELDS,  D.D.,  LL.D. 


IT  has  been  becoming  evident  to  many  thoughtful 
observers  that  the  chief  Christian  problem  of  the 

age  is  the  Reunion  of  Christendom,  and  that  the 
most  favorable  conditions  for  its  solution  are  found 
in  this  new  world,  where  the  churches  and  denomi- 
nations of  the  old  world  have  become  compacted 
together  within  a  new  political  environment,  under 
democratic  influences,  and  with  perfect  freedom  of 
action  and  intercourse.  The  growth  of  public  inter- 
est in  the  question  during  the  past  ten  years  has 
been  surprising.  If  the  proposed  volume  have  no 
higher  value  it  may  serve  to  mark  the  course  of 
opinion  in  this  new  direction  and  to  afford  some 
outlook  for  the  future.  It  will  contain  the  results 
not  only  of  private  study,  but  of  conference  with 
representative  thinkers  holding  all  the  possible  views 
in  respect  to  Church  Unity. 

Among  the  topics  to  be  presented  are  the  fol- 
lowing: 

I. 

Existing  Agreements  of  the  American  Churches 
—In  Doctrine,  in  Polity,  and  in  Ritual. 


II. 

Denominational  Opinions  on  Church  Unity— By 
Representative  Episcopalians,  Presbyterians, 
and  congregationalists. 

III. 

The  Chicago- Lambeth  Proposals  for  Church 
\Jnity. 

IV. 
The   Three   Church    Polities    and    the    Historic 
Episcopate. 

V. 
The    Historic    Presbyterate    and    the    Historic 
Episcopate. 

VI. 

The  Christian  Denominations  and  the  Historic 
Liturgy. 

VII. 

American  Church  Unity  as  a  Sociological  Ques- 
tion. 


CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S   SONS,    PUBLISHERS 
743.745   Broadway,  New  York 


Date  Due 

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